Shadow's Light
by Chibi Yuushi
Summary: AU. It was said no one ever escaped from the Camps. Yet a small group of people, later rumored dead, did. Now that reinforcements are near and the final battle awaits feelings are unwelcome... or are they? -KxK, SxM, AxM- Chapter 19 up!
1. Prologue

_Ciao!!!_

_Well… I guess I should explain a few things beforehand. This story, an Alternate Universe, is going to deal with sensitive subjects, which is part of the reason I have rated it 'PG-13'.That, and a little swearing- hey, I currently live in Germany, and they honestly swear a lot, so it's only natural I pick up the habit, right? I think everyone will catch what regime I am alluding to, and while I don't want to downplay anything I also don't want to paint a one-sided picture. So please don't flame me if something in this story does not meet your personal opinion about that particular part of history._

_Also, I don't want to have to be all the way historically correct, which is why there is not going to be a name for the Camp, the Agency, or the Regime. _

_This is also a very personal story since it links to some of my family's past. Please bear with me if I get too opinionated, but tell me!_

_Last but not least, if you wish to discuss anything with me, or wish to help me along in writing this story, please contact me! I am very open for suggestions as I am still a young and inexperienced writer. And now… Enjoy the story!_

Prologue **Welcome to Camp Freedom**

"Are you absolutely sure this is your last word?" The piercing, dark brown eyes of his superior bore into his with an uncanny ability to detect even the slightest hesitation. The young man sitting in front of the massive oak-wood desk softly sighed. His long-fingered, fine-boned hands rested on his lap, twitching ever so slightly at the question. His eyes shadowed by the curtain of his bangs he nodded.

"Yes, Sir. I feel it is the only way I- can be of any further service, that I do." A voice so soft it made the steeliness underneath almost completely undetectable.

"Very well then, it _is_ after all a plan that, crazy as it might sound, could succeed, and you're just the one to be able to pull it off since you're the only one as skilled who speaks the language of the Regime. Now as to your plan and what was before… To be honest, after your partner's death I didn't even think you would come back, yet you went on as if nothing had happened. I wonder how you did it… Anyways, I understand your wish to move into… a different line of work. However, this mission you suggested is almost certain suicide!"

One of the man's hands left its resting place and wearily brushed back his bangs, revealing tired, amber eyes swirling with a touch of violet underneath the surface. His superior's gaze never once left his gaunt face, any twitch of any muscle being registered and analyzed as though he hoped to find some weakness. The shadows enhancing his hollow cheeks seemed to deepen as the young man clenched his jaw.

"I know the risks involved in the operation. However, I think it is of the utmost importance that we not leave any of us behind, that I do. And for one like me, it would be… more rewarding to…"

"To save someone for once? I cannot say I do not see the reason behind your decision, but- and I will enforce this point, as long as necessary- we cannot afford to lose you. You're the only one capable of doing your job, and I will have you back here in one piece, understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Throwing a military salute the younger man got up from his chair. His superior chuckled lightly.

"Just make sure you come back and bring her with you, my friend." The older man rose gracefully and offered the leaving agent his hand for shaking. 

"I will," the agent, who in comparison to his superior looked more like a little boy than the hardened man he was, answered and a small reassuring smile touched his lips. "I have never failed you, and I will not starting to do so now, that I won't. Besides- you know who would have my hide if I did so, that you do."

"That I do," chuckled the larger man and let go of the other's hand, "that I do, and I do not wish it upon you- or me, as a matter of fact! Now, you know my secretary, just tell her what you need and set off whenever you're ready. Time to show those bastards that nothing ever is 100% certain."

"Yes, Sir!" The agent turned on his heel and disappeared down the hall, his graceful movements seemingly blending his slight figure into the shadows.

"I hope you can pull this off, my friend. Your plan must be the craziest venture the Agency has ever seen… Forgive me for being concerned…" He thought of how ill the young man had looked. His body had never had time to fully recover from the horrible condition it had been in after the unfortunate incident in which he had lost his partner. Demanding to be put to work immediately after leaving the hospital no one had been able to refuse the haunted, distraught eyes, and, to his shame, he had to admit he had been desperate for the agent to come back to work. So, after only a month's time of rest, the agent had once again carried out the most impossible tasks and most daredevil missions- until he had come up with this new plan involving freeing another of their agents, captured in the line of duty and imprisoned in one of the infamous Camps. At first, everyone who had a say in the Agency had shunned the plan, but after a few talks with the agent they had come to see that his crazy idea just might work. And now he had been sent out to accomplish what was deemed too impossible to even think about… 

Sighing softly to himself, the tall, brown-eyed man returned to his desk. Better make sure at least all the logistics were done… in case his agent might need some last-minute measure to aid him….

The dreary rain never seemed to stop in this part of the world. Softly veiling the hideous, wooden buildings from the observer's view it pounded its everlasting rhythm into the dirt road, turning the one path running from the camp to the working area into a treacherous mudslide. The young woman sighed and dragged blistered feet through the ankle-high, viscous substance. Rest period was a long time off, and even though she hadn't slept a wink the last night thanks to the biting cold and the thunderous sneezes and snores her 79 roommates gave off it didn't mean she wouldn't have to work her 16- hour shift like everyone else.  The only one who would notice she was half asleep was her assigned working-partner, and that only because the young woman would be a little slow in her work today. Nobody really cared what became of those interned in a Camp, and nobody aver asked.

The young woman's foot caught on something hidden beneath the murky, watery surface of the muddy road, and with a small cry she pitched forward upon meeting unexpected resistance, sleep-deprived body to slow to shift and regain its balance. Bracing herself for the hard, cold impact that was to come she closed her eyes- only to find that there was no impact. Instead, she felt a heart beating against her cheek, and the warmth of another human being radiating through her small, malnourished and overworked body. 

"You should watch out where you step!"

The voice was sharp yet pleasant in its precise intonation of every syllable. The young woman opened her eyes to steal a glance at her rescuer. Dark-brown orbs narrowed in annoyance met her own, but the other's gaze was quickly averted.

"Thank you," the young woman said, flustered, and tried to brush her rescuer's hands off her body just as she was twisted around forcefully and set onto her path once again. She heard a small gasp escape the other's lips the moment the distinct sound of a hard object meeting flesh reached her ears. 

"I'm sorry!" she whispered as the unknown brown-eyed woman released her hold on her, letting her go but still shielding her. 

"No need to be so." She met the taller woman's gaze once again for a moment before the Guards separated them.

"No talking, no holding up the line. MOVE!" The guard's flexible bludgeon struck her own body this time, making pain shoot from her lower back where she had been hit, but except for a slight narrowing of her dark blue eyes he got no reaction from her. She was, after all, used to this treatment already even though this was only her third week in the Camp. 

Picking up her pace she stole a glance backwards over her shoulder to see the woman who had helped her moving along with her own colonna of mud-covered 'workers'. Her long hair was black and straight, flowing down her back even though she was as dirty as everybody else, and in spite of the mud clinging to her and dragging her down her movements radiated graceful elegance. 

The young woman sighed. No wondering about mysterious strangers saving her from being submerged in nasty and cold mud when a full shift of sorting through the stuff while searching for precious stones still lay before her.

As she trudged along behind the bowed back of the woman in front of her she caught sight of another 'delivery' arriving at the Camp's entrance. People being herded through the wrought-iron gates topped by barbed wire, people sentenced to a life of torture, people being treated worse than cattle. People whose hope was stripped from them with the last of their own clothes as soon as they entered the gloomy hallway that led away from life and freedom and into the Camp. Usually, their eyes were downcast, their pale, dirty faces already shadows of what they had once been, but on this transport something seemed different. Most of those stepping from the cattle truck that had delivered them to the Camp held their head high, and some even had pride and dignity within their shuffling gait. The men and women on this transport somehow had not been broken by the horrid experience of deportation, had somehow survived with their personality intact. One by one they filed through the forbidding gate, being forced to shed even the last remainder of their life before the deportation. They were lucky not to have their heads sheared, normal procedure called for that but as with her own batch of  'workers' these lucky individuals got to keep their hair.

The young woman stared a moment longer at the children that now passed through under the guidance of a slight-built young man with hair like flames. The children seemed cheerful, a few of them even smiling as their birdlike little voices drifted across the rainy field to the young woman's ears. A guard stepped into her line of view, an she once again concentrated on putting one foot before the other just like she had seen the newcomers do. Her thoughts dwelled for a moment on the redhead with the children. He had seemed too kind to survive in an environment such as the Camp- but wasn't that his own problem? If she ever started worrying about others in the situation she was in she would soon self-destruct, that was one thing she had learned on her very first day in the Camp, and one thing she had never forgot. Though she sometimes wished it were different, especially after seeing someone like that redheaded boy lending all of his strength to those who needed it more than him.

Now don't get sentimental, she chided herself and shuffled closer to the woman in front of her, using her back as a shield against the elements. The chain link fence enclosing the working area came into view, and the young woman wearily let her head hang down and resigned herself to 16 hours of shifting through mud under the rainy skies.

The agent stared up at the gray sky into the drizzle that had already managed to plaster his long bangs to his face. He felt completely miserable and cold, soaked through to the bones and clad only in the too-big, rugged tatters of clothing that were the Camp uniform. The once white, now beige garment was too lose on his small frame and offered little protection against the merciless onslaught of wind and rain. He suppressed a sigh, and instead concentrated on smiling for the sake of the children that clung to him like his wet bangs clung to his cheeks. 

"Are we going to play now, Uncle?" a little girl asked, her chirping voice out of place in the gloomy atmosphere of the Camp. 

"I'm terribly sorry, we can't," the agent replied, smiling down at her.

"Why not?" The girl insisted, her fingers holding his in a vice-like grip.

"We are to-" he couldn't finish his sentence as a bludgeon, coming out of nowhere, hit his midsection with enough force to leave him doubled over and breathless. Some bruise this is going to be, the agent thought, grimacing against the pain that threatened to overwhelm him. 

"No talking. You-" the bludgeon, the only thing the agent could see from his position, jerked to the left side before nudging him in the ribs, "- go there. You- " a rough hand grabbed the small girl and jerked her away from the agent's grasp, "over here. Now move!" The agent glared at the guard while clutching his ribs that seemed to have been set on fire. His defiance, however, didn't go unnoticed and earned him yet another jab to his injured side. Gasping for air the agent let go of the little girl's hand and moved over to stand with the rest of the adults while the child, wailing for support, was pushed to the right side with the other young children. 

The agent stared at the suddenly miserable child, his eyes narrowed to slits. How could anyone let things such as those happen? How could people aid in cruel acts like this? How could anyone sanction a behavior like the one of those guards' who, without shame, leered at the women as they were forced to undress before everyone's eyes? He would not hesitate to give the fight against that regime his all, he would, at all costs, put a stop to the inhuman Camps- at least, he would do his share of fighting against the regime that threatened the freedom of people all over the world. Even if it came down to only himself- there would be no predominance of brown uniforms in the world, never ever!

Feral rage flickered into his gaze, and for a moment he seemed more intimidating than the machine guns on the watchtower guarding the Camp's perimeter. Yet the moment passed unseen as he once again schooled his features into an expressionless mask. It would not further his mission if he acted out of place… 

So this is where we're supposed to sleep. The agent took in the barrack's interior with one sweeping gaze. Rough wooden walls with more holes than protective material, cots that were barely big enough to fit his small frame, blankets of moth-eaten, damp cloth, non-existent pillows and, of course, not even enough space to turn around once. 80 people thrown into a room that should only be able to accommodate half as many, 80 people and no windows. The air was cold yet stale, carbon dioxide the predominant component; at least it seemed so to the agent. The beds, three stories high, looking as though they were going to collapse as soon as the weight of any person settled upon them, yet they should hold six. 

The agent moved forward, being pushed by the rest of the 'workers' that filed into their new home. By order of the guard, all movement stopped once the last prisoner had cleared the buildings threshold, and with half an ear the agent listened to the rules they would have to obey. 18 hours of work a day for the men, they would be responsible for making and cleaning their beds. Two meals, one at dusk, the other once the shift was ended. No taking working clothes into the barracks, no saving food. Orders from the guards were to be obeyed; else the offender would be punished. No talking unless ordered to. No moving around after curfew… the agent tuned the guard's raspy voice out after this. It was like under every oppressive system: keep them under control, no matter what. The only difference was that this oppressive system had perfected logistics for getting rid of troublemakers and others they deemed 'unworthy of living'. The agent grimaced. Unworthy of living… in all his years with the agency, throughout his many missions that for the most part were to kill certain people he had never once seen someone as 'unworthy of living'. A danger to others, maybe, deranged criminals without whom society was better off, yes- but never once had he not regretted taking a life, never once had he displayed the carelessness _they _did. 

"Take the outfit on the bed in front of you and change into it," the guard ordered. Rustling movement erupted all over the place; shirts were shed as the sturdier, washed-out blue material that made up the new outfit was donned.

"This is your working outfit," the guard droned, "you will wash it every day after work and keep it in the shed that will be assigned to you this evening. Rupturing or loss of any part of this will result in punishment. Now leave your dormitory in single file, you will be taken to your working area immediately."

The agent managed not to be caught up in the frantic shuffle that ensued once the guard had finished, instead, he almost casually strolled out of the barrack musing how anyone could use this many euphemisms in a few short sentences.  

Outside, the heavens still shed their tears upon the harsh, tundra-like landscape in which the Camp was situated. The rows upon rows of barracks were rising out of the semi-darkness like ghosts, silence prevailed except for the occasional harshly barked order. The agent tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach that his mission was going to be even more complicated than he had imagined, after all, how should he find a single person among the thousands interned? He could spend months without ever catching as much as a glimpse of the missing agent, and by then either he himself or the missing one could already have succumbed to the Camp conditions and died. What if the one he was trying to find was already dead?

He shook off those thoughts as he walked a well-worn, muddy path through the Camp, the back of the person before him the only thing he could see since straight ahead was the only direction the 'workers' were permitted to look into. He himself had come up with this plan, and he would carry it out no matter what. Never again would the Regime steal another agent from the Agency, this was what he had vowed to prevent by the death of his partner. Never again would he hold a dying body in his arms knowing it was his fault she was dying, knowing that he could have prevented her death if he had only been a little more perceptive, a little faster… 

"Move!" the guard walking beside the colonna of 'workers' barked, slapping his bludgeon against his back. The agent hid a glare as he sped up, thoughts of the past forgotten as he had to concentrate on the present. He found himself staring at the iron entrance gates of the Camp. 'Welcome to Camp Freedom' large black iron letters spelled and he couldn't help but wince at the arrogance those words proclaimed. Arrogance- and a general disregard for every single value of humanity. The agent once again felt the anger rise within him, and fought to keep his cool. There was nothing he could do right now- but if his plan succeeded… 

He walked on in silence.

Mud. They were to carry impossibly large buckets full of mud from the mining site to where the women sat before long troughs shifting through it in order to find the precious gems that were hidden inside it. Not only was this a gruesome, back-breaking task, but it was also one that was made infinitely more difficult by the narrowness of the slope leading along the deep hole in the hillside that was the gem mine and the slickness of the path winding along the slope. The agent strained under his load of two buckets as he carefully navigated the steep hillside. Soon, he had cleared the most difficult part of the way and, following the man before him, started downhill towards the hollow tree trunks into which they would dump their load so that the women and children cowering before them could search through it for the treasure. 

Muscles slightly tensed in apprehension the agent gazed into the distance. Are you there … Takani?

_Now that was a confusing prologue, wasn't it? At least we got to know the identity of the missing agent, ne? Well... I can't say it will get better in the next chapter, and probably also not for the one after that. But please be patient- I will clear up all the mysteries and I will explain everything in time! Please, help me write better by leaving a review since I am not yet an experienced writer! Thank you and Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	2. Chapter 1 Meetings

_Ciao!!!_

Chibi signing in with the first chapter of her story… I'm glad you liked the prologue, it wasn't easy to write… Oh, and I changed the rating on this story, as I was told by my best friend that it wasn't as bad as to deserve the harsh rating I gave it… if you are of a dissenting opinion, please, once again, tell me! 

I also didn't remember putting up a disclaimer- somehow, they're not needed in Germany (don't know why, though it might be interesting to find out), so the one in this chapter applies to the Prologue as well. I hope I have everything covered in it, if this is not so please tell me! I'm not very versed in legal matters (yet)!

_What else- oh, yes:_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, it's characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 1 Meetings 

Her hands had become all wrinkly, raw and red from just the first two hours of letting the mud-and-water-mix in the trough before her run through them. She just hoped this harsh treatment wouldn't affect their dexterity- she would hate to return home and find she could not practice kendo anymore because her hands had lost the flexibility necessary to wield a bokken with due precision. Her fingers clenched around something hard, and with practiced ease she extracted the small, round pebble from its muddy surroundings, threw it into a bucket by her side for later inspection and went back to shifting through the dirt. Her long black tresses spilling over her shoulders came dangerously close to the oily surface of the mud water, and she took a second to shake her head to return them to their previous position on her back. If she was lucky the little pebble she had just found was one of the valuable semi-precious stones they were mining…

A bucket full of mud splashing into the trough and spilling part of its content over her uniform and into her face brought the blazing light of righteous anger into her sapphire eyes. 

"What do you think you're doing?" She cried indignantly, barely suppressing the urge to jump from her cowering position and bop the offender on the head, even though he was only a small, innocent-looking man in a uniform at least three sizes to big and with hair as red as a spectacular sunset over the Sea. She had put up with so much during the last three weeks… and the week before that, she just wasn't in the mood to keep quiet anymore. She was not a little scared rabbit, not by a long shot… the young woman huffed and continued ranting at the stupid, little, red-haired guy who had thrown mud all over her.

"Ah… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" the man who had brought the new raw material tried to defend himself. 

"You can't just throw the stuff in here! You have to be careful!"

She was young, spirited and obviously didn't like the fact that she was now covered in rust-colored mud from head to toe. The agent smiled nervously, his eyes darting from the young woman's angry, yet in some innocent way pretty little face to the other women doing their work while he was absently muttering apologies meant to placate the girl. He needed to find out whether the missing agent was there…

"And why aren't you even looking at me? You should at least have the decency to look into my eyes if you're apologizing!" she screeched, and the agent flinched at the thought that she would manage to get the guards' attention if she continued her show.

"Please, calm down… I didn't mean to splash mud all over you, that I didn't Miss…" He stuttered, frantically waving his hands about and putting on his most innocent face. He didn't know if this would work, but he _needed_ her to calm down!

 At last she stopped berating him and caught her breath.

"Huh? What did you say? Miss? Oh, my name… it's Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru." The agent smiled the best he could. 

"I'm sorry to have splashed you, Miss Kaoru, that I am… and I need to hurry, or the guards will catch both of us, that they will… "

He didn't expect her to snatch the handle of one of the buckets he was carrying. 

"Oro?!?" 

"Wait! You didn't tell me your name!" He definitely felt like he was trapped. He was supposed to keep a low profile, and already every single woman or man in the vicinity was staring at him and the blue-eyed girl.

"Himura." He answered curtly and tried to pull away once more, only to be yanked back by the too long sleeve of his working outfit that somehow wasn't rolled up anymore as it should have been.

"Wait! You mean you don't have a given name?" The girl seemed a little confused as she stared up at him from her squatting position.

"Himura Kenshin," the agent finally admitted, smiling outwardly but cursing the young girl's insistence (and strong arms) inwardly. 

"What is going on here?" The rough voice of the guard that had accompanied her colonna this morning cut through the sudden hushed silence. Kaoru jumped and bowed her head over the trough. Better to act as if nothing had happened… The man wasn't standing next to her anymore either, she noticed, he seemed to have dissolved into thin air. 

That was close, the young woman sighed when the guard passed her by with only a suspicious glance at her bowed back. She wondered how that strange Himura Kenshin had managed to get away so fast… but a guard equipped with a bludgeon was a strong incentive to get moving, at least in the mind of Kamiya Kaoru… that Kenshin guy sure adapted quickly, if she remembered correctly he had been among the newcomers arriving this very morning. 

The agent breathed a sigh of relief when the guard found nothing out of the ordinary with him trudging back to the mine, his empty buckets clanging against his legs and throwing off his balance. Thank goodness nobody had seen him move from the side of Miss Kaoru- he didn't know how he would have explained his speed. His hands clenched into fists he made his way back to the deep hole in the hillside where another unfortunate colonna of male workers shoveled the mud into the passer-by's buckets. The girl had looked so pale and thin… he doubted she had eaten a real meal for at least a month. She had been small, delicate even- but her spirit and courage could put any man to shame. How she had yelled at him even under the shadow of the guards and their bludgeons… 

He violently jerked his thoughts back onto track for his mission. The missing agent had been nowhere in sight, which meant he had to venture further across the trough-covered field into his next searching area. Kenshin cast his eyes up at the sky that had lit up in a mockery of daylight, which, of course, didn't mean it had stopped raining. The pounding of raindrops had instead changed into some kind of fine mist that clung to skin and clothes and weighed them down. He couldn't decide which was more miserable… at least the sight had improved with the small rays of cloud-filtered sunlight illuminating the Tundra. 

His load renewed Kenshin started up the slope once more, dragging his feet along as he concentrated on keeping his balance. Glancing down into the dark pit the Regime dared call a mine he felt his anger rise. Sweating bodies, most of them so thin their ribs could be seen where their dirty, wet uniforms clung to their skin working under conditions that would kill any animal, wracked by coughs and diseases born from the unsanitary conditions. Men with eyes so dull they seemed no longer among the living. Men who had long ago lost any hope of escaping that hellhole, men who were only waiting for death to claim them and bring them salvation. Many of them sported dark purple and green bruises, caused by the guards' bludgeons without a doubt. There was nothing he could do, he kept reminding himself, at least not at the moment… but just the thought of being powerless was almost more than he could bear. He felt his mindset shift and clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His eyes squeezed shut he struggled to stay in control. He couldn't allow the rage to prevail, couldn't lose his cool just now… this was not a time for split-second decisions, this was a time to carefully lay the ground for his plan. 

Fighting his inner demon that was trying to lure him into thoughtless action the agent hadn't realized he had sped up his steps, and thus the collision came quite unexpected to the young man.

"Hey! Watch out!" For the second time in about ten minutes he was being shouted at, this time, however, he was the one to have fallen flat onto his back into the mud as a tall man with hair so spiky it seemed like he had recently regrown it leaned over him. 

Lacking oxygen the only thing Kenshin managed was a weak "Oro?".

"You OK, buddy?" the tall man drawled, easily hoisting Kenshin up with one arm while balancing his buckets on the opposite shoulder. A concerned look out of chocolate brown eyes took in his rather scrawny form.

"You sure you're not injured?" Somehow, this man had managed to avoid the dress code, at least partially. His uniform's shirt was ripped open in the middle revealing his muscled chest and abs, and a strip of red cloth was wrapped bandanna-like around his head keeping e few of the longer spikes of hair from falling into his eyes.

"I'm alright, that I am, but thank you," Kenshin replied amiably at the man's question.

"Thought you would fall off the path for a moment there," his new acquaintance continued, casting a wary eye around to check for any guards, "but you really did recover nicely. Name's Sanosuke by the way."

Kenshin, who was busy wondering how he would ever get the clinging mud out of his long hair, nodded absently. "Thank you, Mister Sanosuke." His senses prickled, and he quickly assumed a serious look. 

"We should get moving, that we should," he said. The taller man looked at him in surprise. "Ya mean you seen a guard coming?" he asked. The agent nodded. No need to elaborate…  

"Then let's get going, right?" 

As he trotted along behind Sanosuke's lanky frame Kenshin wondered how the tall man had survived the Camp with an attitude like his. Somehow even his gait seemed to scream he wanted a fight, and his drawling speech pattern characterized him as someone who had probably spent a good part of his life in the less-than-prosperous streets. Perhaps that was why he could bear the hardships life in the Camp meant… Silently, Kenshin walked into the open field and scanned the cowering women with intense concentration. The longer they were imprisoned the more they looked alike, and since he didn't know when exactly the missing agent had been put into Camp Freedom he had to consider the possibility of her having changed a lot physically. 

Once again, he came up empty-handed in his search, and since it would be dangerous to his health if he lingered any longer he started his track back to the mine, joining a longer line of male workers to be more inconspicuous. Truth be told, he didn't feel too exhausted yet, not as exhausted as most of those around him. He recognized a few faces from the truck he had arrived in, their eyes already dulled by weariness, their shoulder sagging under the workload. He knew he was fitter than many, just because it was required of him in his line of work to be in top physical condition, but he was astonished that he was this much stronger. His trainer had always reminded him that he was at best of mediocre strength. Perhaps he had to adjust his views.

He felt a familiar presence and wasn't surprised to see the spiky haired head of Sanosuke when glancing over his shoulder.

"Yo!" The man grinned, and the agent smiled back. This guy seemed to be pretty strong, judging from the ease with which he had handled his buckets and Kenshin earlier, and his friendly nature was somehow reassuring. When push came to shove he was probably a reliable ally, and the agent found himself considering including him in his daring escape plans. 

The day was finally done. Working clothes had been washed and hung under a roof to dampen (since they would never become dry in the cold wetness here), the tasteless slobber that was called an evening meal had been wolfed down, the tables cleared, the dishes cleaned. Kaoru felt like she had been disassembled, studied and reassembled while someone had failed to remember to make her forget the whole procedure. The muscles in her arms burned with the buildup of butyric acid, the muscles in her legs felt atrophied and cramped, her back was probably never going to straighten out and not to forget she was shivering from the constant exposure to cutting winds and rain. 

Falling onto her cot and covering her small frame with the holes surrounded by a few threads that was called a blanket in the language of the Camp's supervisors she tried to get herself to produce some heat. The stale air in the barrack made her want to gag, yet she breathed deeply in order to warm her hands with her breath. Except for some barely audible whispers the barrack was silent, the guards had not yet completed their evening rounds and speaking was prohibited. Kaoru rolled onto her back and tried to loosen her leg muscles by shaking the appendages. Relief was slow to come, and she had to grit her teeth as she felt another vicious cramp attack her.

"It might help to slowly massage along the muscle with your hands." The cultivated voice was something Kaoru recognized immediately as belonging to the elegant woman she had -in a way- met that morning. 

The woman had a lot of nerve, not even bothering to keep her voice down. Kaoru scowled at her.

"I am just trying to get the worst cramps out beforehand," she defended herself.

"Well, you're obviously not very successful, besides, the method you're using is completely useless." The other woman shrugged and tried to settle down more comfortably. 

"And you would know that because…-" She couldn't just let that woman be. If there was one thing she despised it was arrogance, and the cool elegant air she exuded made Kaoru feel a little jealous deep down. That woman was a lady while she… well, she was just a tomboy.

"I would know that because I have studied medicine." Kaoru's eyes widened at the unexpected answer. 

"You're a doctor?" She asked. 

"I think that was what I said."

"Well… I think I will follow your advice then, Mrs..?

"Takani. Takani Megumi."

"Well I'm Kamiya Kaoru. Call me Kaoru."

"In that case call me Megumi."

"All right… Megumi." Kaoru grimaced as her hands attacked a knotted muscle in her calf. "Ouch!" she muttered under her breath.

"Oh, and to avoid those cramps in future just stick out one leg at a time while squatting. It helps."

"Th-" Kaoru began, but quickly fell silent as the distinct sound of booted feet reached her ears. Her heart raced as she imagined what would happen to her had the guard heard her talking to Megumi. Becoming only now alert to the soft breathing and snores (with, of course, the occasional hacking cough thrown into the mix) that permeated the room, the young woman realized that she had spent already at least half an hour of her precious sleeping time on muscle exercises and talking. She calmed her breath and lay still as the guard walked around the room, peering into each cot to check whether its (human) inhabitant was sleeping. She somehow had the feeling that she was under closer scrutiny than the others, and she had to concentrate to keep on breathing as her breath caught in her throat. 

Only after everything was quiet again did she dare move a muscle. "Good night, Megumi," she whispered, her voice a little hoarse.

"Good night," was the even reply.

Kaoru was so tired from the previous night's lack of sleep and the day's hard toil that she succumbed to the darkness immediately after having closed her eyes. Dreamless slumber claimed her as his own and didn't release her until the waking call at dawn.

*~*

"So he really went?" Amusement could not fully hide the fact that the man who was currently sitting opposite the massive oak desk was concerned. 

The agent's superior nodded. "He was not to be deterred. His fixation on rescuing our missing agent was downright scary if you ask me."

"I certainly hope my baka deshi's up to what he's gotten himself into, Katsura." The man narrowed his eyes and sipped on a cup of sake that had been placed before him earlier.

"You know Himura, Seijurou. He's competent."

"That's what I'm afraid of," was the nonchalant reply.

Katsura shook his head. Former top agent of the Agency and quasi-adoptive father of Himura Kenshin Hiko Seijurou always tried his very best to make others think he didn't give a damn about the boy's welfare- in spite of the fact that everyone at the Agency knew how attached he was to the young agent. He had not liked Himura joining the Agency, and he had disapproved of the task they had assigned him, claiming he was not ready for it. Unfortunately, the young man had been the only one who had the skills, so, ready or not, he was thrown into the water and told to swim. 

"Anyways, he's been gone for a little over three weeks now. The last report we received stated that he had finished his preparations and was ready to enter the Camp. That was two days ago now. I guess that by now he's already busy looking for Takani, our missing agent."

That last bit of information got him a quirk of the eyebrows from Seijurou. "Takani? As in Takani Megumi, physician?"

"Yes," Katsura replied, "we figured she would be inconspicuous and sent her into Regime territory to gather information on the leaders and their movements. She wasn't inconspicuous enough… or someone inside the Agency betrayed her. What is startling, though, is that they didn't immediately kill her upon discovery but send her to the Camp instead. Why the Regime took this course of action is a mystery to me and the whole Agency as well."   

"I think they plan to use her against us," Hiko Seijurou stated after having given the subject a few seconds of silent pondering. 

"But how?" Katsura asked. He didn't see how anyone could use a low-level agent like Takani to gain anything.

"I think they want to catch some bigger fish… and they are using her as the bait. They assume- correctly, as we both know- that it is the Agency's policy to fight for every single agent out there. Thus, they can imagine that more experienced, higher-level agents will be sent to retrieve her- and in capturing them they will have an invaluable source of information."

Katsura nodded. "My thoughts have been running into this direction as well- I don't know how they could ever let you go, Seijurou." An arrogant smirk played across the man's sharply defined features. "They didn't have a choice in the matter, Katsura. I was never interested in bureaucratic work, and that's what they would have had me do, ultimately."

Katsura shook his head. How could anyone be so self-centered, conceited, arrogant yet still talented and warm-hearted? Seijurou had been first choice for the position he now held- but instead of accepting promotion Agent Seijurou had resigned and left with the small child he had somehow managed to bring with him as a souvenir. He had virtually disappeared. Even the Agency had not managed to trace all of his steps. It wasn't until Himura suddenly stood at the Agency's gates applying for a job that they had found out Seijurou's whereabouts.

"I guess you aren't interested in joining again?" He tried nonetheless. 

Seijurou chuckled. "Are you that desperate already? I thought you had my baka deshi to help you!"

Katsura grinned. "Well, two of a kind couldn't hurt, could they?" Then he imagined another scary figure like Himura –on a bad day - skulking through the hallways and had to suppress a shudder. What a horrible picture- if Seijurou could skulk, that is. He didn't know the other man well enough to be able to determine that- what he knew so far rather denoted that Seijurou was a person drawing attention to himself wherever he went.

"Do you think they are already onto baka deshi?" Seijurou suddenly asked, seeming almost bored.

Katsura shrugged. "I don't think so. Himura is the best at undercover work, and he speaks the language perfectly. He will be extremely careful…" At least Katsura hoped he would be. Of course, there was always the possibility Himura would show the kind of reckless behavior that had made him famous within the Agency…

"I hope your trust is not unwarranted," Seijurou offhandedly mentioned his doubts. 

"I am very careful as to who I trust in."

*~*

Kenshin sat on his cot, one knee drawn up to his chest, the other leg stretched out before him trying to find the calmness he needed to rest. The guard had already passed by and he had aborted the uncomfortable position of lying on his back for his more favored sleeping position. His brain kept analyzing the days' events, transforming them into tactical and strategical data about the Camp. And if he didn't ponder where to turn when escaping his mind kept feeding him images of sapphire blue eyes burning with fire, or twinkling amusedly. Somehow, those images became more and more increasing in their frequency, until to his utter confusion all he thought about was how to make pure happiness shine in them.

Get a grip on yourself! a harsh voice shouted in his mind and a splitting ache raced through his head, from one temple to the other. Steadying his breathing, he shakily tried to cover himself with the too small blanket and stilled his body so far that even his hyperactive mind had to cease working.

Sleep, however, was not so easy to come by in its unperturbed mode. Kenshin's instincts, honed by years of working as an undercover agent and assassin for the Agency kept screaming at him whenever an out-of-the-ordinary sound reached his ears. He jerked awake each and every time one of the 80 men in the barrack drew an especially loud, rattling breath, every time a cough sounded through the room, every time the cot he rested on creaked because one of the other inhabitants of the bunk bed turned around or moved in his sleep, every time a rat scurried by close to his cot. It was unnerving, because his logical mind told him he wasn't in any immediate danger and needed his rest to be able to face the next day. However, his instincts were not to be shut off, else he would lose his edge, which would be more unfortunate than a few nights of little sleep. 

He just waited for morning to arrive, and caught every wink of the elusive rest he could possibly catch. He would not die from it, not at all. In fact, if this were happening a year ago he would have laughed at his skittishness… well, a year ago Kenshin had still been a half-crazed, daredevil assassin with a partner he had wanted to become his wife. He should really not compare himself to that version of himself, no, that he should not. Once again, he drifted off, tired to death and a little exasperated. Why wasn't dawn there yet?

When the first tinge of light tinted the sky a lighter gray Kenshin snapped to full alertness. The rain had momentarily stopped, the crisp air sending chills up his spine but perfectly mirroring all the Camp's sounds and smells at the same time. He became for the first time fully aware of how deathly silent everything was before the daily routine started. Watchdogs, of whose existence he had only known because he had read they were there were heard barking, the decaying smell creeping up from the permanently drenched earth assaulted his nostrils, not to speak of the sickly odor of ill, weak and unwashed humans. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and tried to warm himself by wrapping his arms around his body since temperatures seemed to have dropped another few degrees in the early morning chill. 

Silence lasted only a few more seconds before it was disrupted by the blaring wail of a siren. This had to be the wakeup call for the guards- or the 'workers', or both. Kenshin dropped from his sitting posture into an imitation of a peacefully sleeping person seconds before boots stomped resoundingly through the barrack and a flurry of activity arose. More than once the sickening thud of the guards' bludgeons meeting unfortunate human flesh could be distinguished among the myriad of wakeup noises, and it took Kenshin some conscious effort to remain passive. He could have taken those guards out in no time, he knew, as his impulsive side still wanted to urge him into motion by feeding him those bits of information. But all he did was clench his teeth, quickly and efficiently make his bed as he was required to and join the line of workers waiting to be led outside and to the eating area. 

Few glances were exchanged between the men; the guards seemed to be extremely watchful this morning. Kenshin tried to assess the extent to which they were armed, but apart from the obvious bludgeons and a large-caliber pistol on their belts he could not see any weapons. Perhaps this _was_ all… but he had his doubts and continued watching guards and workers out of narrow eyes. He had a feeling something was in the air… 

Megumi almost dragged Kaoru out of their barrack. The younger woman had slept through the call of the siren and had almost been unable to make her bed in time. Now, she staggered rather sleepily along the well-worn path to the eating area, Megumi guiding her as she was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The tall, brown-eyed woman swept a suspicious glance across her surroundings. She had the distinct feeling that something out of the ordinary was going to take place, and she somehow felt it was connected to herself and the mystery of her survival so far. 

Passing by a group of male workers, she noticed one who was set apart from the rest of them by his flame-red hair. She felt her brain tingle with the hint of a memory, something she knew she should know, but also something she couldn't ever hope to recall as it was lying too far at the back of her consciousness. Besides- it was five o'clock in the morning, not even _she_ could think clearly at this ungodly hour.

Forgetting about the strange man she instead concentrated on catching the guards' talk in order to find out what was going on, but this wasn't her day. All she could understand was one of the guards complaining that his dog was down with something akin to the stomach flu. Stomach flu? Hope that beast dies of it! She had only seen the dogs once, but they were ugly, bloodthirsty beasts trained to hunt down and maim or even kill humans. Evil creatures that were conditioned with drugs and trained to obey only their designated master they were, with eyes redder than rubies and sharp, gnashing teeth. No, she would definitely not mourn the death of one of those… _things_. Having reached the dining hall- a crude building in even worse shape than the barracks- she settled down at the end of one of the long tables hastily made from raw wood, right next to the men's eating area. More guards patrolled there, increasing her chances to catch an interesting snippet of their conversations.

 Now if only she knew what all the commotion was about… more guards than normal on duty, and those even more alert… Hunched over her bowl of greasy oatmeal she studied each and every of their moves, but could not detect any clues. I guess I'll have to wait…

The agent's trained eyes immediately picked up the- in comparison to the last day- increased security measures and heavier guarding of the Camp. His mind churned analyzing the possibilities of what might be responsible for that as he shoveled horribly burnt oatmeal into his mouth and tried not to gag on it. At least it was food…

He could not come up with a clear solution, as frustrating as it was. He knew not enough about procedures at the Camp, nor did he know enough about the variables influencing them. Perhaps the women knew more… he had seen some of them stand very close to the guards, and maybe they had overheard some information he could use…. Slowly, he inched across the splintered wooden bench at the end of which he sat. After checking that no guard was directly looking at him he coiled up his muscles and darted over to the woman's table with ungodly speed, knowing he might just be able to pull this off because of his looks, which, admittedly, were a little girly, the way his too-big clothes hung around his frame and his long red hair. Turning to the woman next to him he opened his mouth to whisper a question when his eyes fell upon her face. All he then managed was a really startled: "Oro!?!" 

Oh- have I already finished writing this chapter? That went faster than I thought it would, especially since I had a few problems in the beginning… well, I managed to introduce some of the main characters this time, so I actually don't think this chapter turned out that bad… and I got to include Hiko in the fic *dances around happily*. I somehow have to have a scene with him and Kenshin… *grins*

By the way- are those chapters too long? I actually planned on keeping them at 3000 words approximately, but somehow this one got to 5000+, and I don't think it will be much different with the next ones. If it bothers you, I'll cut them in two, so please, tell me if you'd rather have that!

_As usual, any comments, suggestions, critic, praise etc… is highly welcome *points at little 'review' button*. PLEEEEAAAAAASE? *imitation of puppy dog eyes*_

_Cya next time!_

_Chibi-chan_


	3. Chapter 2 Approaching Danger

_Ciao!!!_

_Yay! Signing in with chapter 2 of Shadow's Light. I feel like I'm on a roll writing this story, and it's mostly thanks to those wonderful reviews I'm getting. They're addictive!_

_In this chapter there will be more characters popping up- and did I catch a hint of a plot there? Must be an illusion… I'm notorious for not getting to the plot of a story until the fifth chapter or so @_@… well, I guess there are surprises everywhere!_

_Chibi's actually done rambling for now (don't worry, the rambling will continue once you've reached the bottom of this page), so…_

_Enjoy the story!_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 2 Approaching Danger 

While it might not be unusal for males to be attracted to females- it being engraved into the very core of what was deemed normal human behavior by the irresistible forces of biology- it had never been heard of a males sitting in the females section of the Camp's dining hall. Thus, the young doctor lost in her thoughts could not have been more startled by the sudden appearance of a male body beside her. Not to mention the strange sound the male produced when she sharply gazed at him. A sound she would have recognized among thousands, and one that finally triggered the memory of where to put a certain red-haired man whom she had spied this morning and who was now sitting next to her, calm and composed as though he had not just made a mad dash across fifteen feet of open space without having been spotted once.

"Oro!?!" He squeaked again, losing some of his calm composure as her lips curled up in a smile she could not hide. 

"Good morning," she replied evenly, mirth twinkling in her brown eyes, her hands flirtingly brushing a strand of her long, straight black hair behind her ears. 

"G- good morning," he stuttered only a little more coherently than before. Poor guy.  Her beauty must have stunned him into submission.

Finally, he got a grip on himself. His whole body tensed into watchful alertness, his eyes, which had been unguarded when she first caught sight of him became harder and the deep violet color lightened considerably. He deliberately moved closer to her while at the same time hunching down deeper over his bowl.

"Miss Takani, I presume," he whispered. 

To say she was stunned was an understatement. There she had been flirting with a guy who appeared out of nowhere and even knew her name. Talk about coincidence… he had to have wanted to meet her so badly that he had been watching her closely and had to have been inquiring about her, so as to be able to call her by her name. 

"Are you Takani Megumi or not, please?" he asked politely, his voice barely above the human auditory threshold. 

"Y-yes, that is my name," she answered. The guy actually acted as though they were a pair of lovers whispering to each other while resting in the sunshine on a beautiful green meadow. And I am not that meek! she reminded herself, I am an agent! 

"And who are you?" 

"I am Himura Kenshin, at your service."

"Huh? What do you mean by 'at your service'?"

Kenshin didn't know if he should be relieved or annoyed at the fact that she obviously didn't know him. He knew of her story, having been to some extent- all right, to quite some extent- involved in it. She, however, seemed to know nothing of him or about him. 

She had only recently joined the Agency, soon after she had had a run-in with the medicine mafia trying to convince her to shell out more of the morphine used to treat cancer patients in the last stadium to give them a little relief from their constant pain. She hadn't realized that one or two of those on the list for the dosage were not really requiring the medicine but were mafia goons collecting the medication and selling it to drug abusers on the black market. When she had realized it had been too late. She had been given the option to either cooperate with the mafia or die. After a few weeks she wished she had chosen dying because they then had something to blackmail her wish- her willingly entering into relations with them.

When she had tried to flee the Agency had found her and taken her in, protected her. How the mafia guys had ended up dead she didn't know, they had not yet deemed her trustworthy enough to tell her this, but she had heard rumors that it had been the Agency's very best team of assassins who had paid them a visit. There were whispers of a tragedy- but those were so faint she didn't even pretend to notice them.

He didn't answer her, the reason for which became clear a second later when a whole troop of guards marched past them. He seemed to shrink into his beige uniform, to adopt a more meekly character just by slightly shifting his posture. None of the guards spared either him or Megumi a glance.

"Well, Mr. Himura, what do you mean by 'at your service'?" she repeated her question.

"What is going on, Megumi?"

Suddenly, Kenshin found himself opposite _two_ curious women. I bet Shishou would have a comment ready, but I don't that I haven't he thought of his predicament.

"Good morning, Miss Kamiya." He tried to keep his face straight. Not an easy feat considering the young woman was doing her best to make him fidget under an intense sapphire scrutiny.

"Kenshin, you are a man, aren't you?" Kaoru asked.

Kenshin sighed and ignored her comment. She was half asleep, however, she constituted a risk. He had to resort to code-speech, for her safety as well as his.

"You know my employer," he answered cryptically to Agent Takani's question, concentrating on whether the marching guards were talking among themselves. They were, as was to be expected, not. Damn his luck. 

"Megumi, you know Kenshin?" Kaoru was determined not to let this strange coincidence slip.

"She does not. But I know her, that I do," replied the agent without thinking, and cursed himself a second later. Why couldn't he just let Megumi answer?

"Oh, I see. You're a colleague of hers, aren't you? And you recognized her and wanted to talk to her again!" 

"It's something of that sorts, that it is" Kenshin said. Kaoru smiled brilliantly, not in the least concerned that an exuberant mimic like this might attract unwanted attention.

"Great! I bet the two of you studied medicine together, didn't you?"

Both Kenshin and Megumi decided it was much better not to answer to that. Kenshin because he didn't want to tell any more than he already had, and Megumi because she honestly hadn't figured out yet what to make of him. She was confused, and her thoughts ran more towards assuming that he was sent to interrogate her than towards any other possibility. Her confusion shone clearly through her liquid brown eyes, and the agent could also _feel_ it rolling in waves from her.

Kenshin longed to grab Agent Takani and have a little private talk with her to clear up all that was unclear, without the interruptions of guards and noisy neighboring girls. Instead, the red-haired agent threw a quick glance at the male workers who were already getting ready to depart. He didn't have any more time left. He had to wager everything on a parting comment, and while he didn't particularly enjoy having to do so it should not be too risky provided Agent Takani knew how to deal with surprises. 

"I have got a question," he began in his normal quiet voice, "have you caught onto what is going on today, Agent Takani?" The last was breathed rather than spoken, lest Kaoru might hear it.

Megumi jumped. Surprise so intense it almost made Kenshin cringe was flooding his senses. Apparently she didn't really expect the Agency to send a retrieval commando this soon. Thankfully, she had cleared her face of any emotion beforehand, and since most people didn't possess Kenshin's abilities to gauge the one they were conversing with Kaoru shouldn't be able to catch onto them.

She was scared half to death when Kenshin addressed her as an agent. To know this, he either had to be top-level Regime spy, or someone sent from the Agency to free her. Judging from his prior actions and heavily relying on gut instinct Megumi decided that this man had to be part of a rescue operation. "No, but I have been wondering as well." She choked. 

Kaoru perked up. What were those two talking about? She scooted closer to Megumi and listened in on the rest of the conversation.

"Maybe you should ask the other women and then tell me what you found out, that you should," Kenshin suggested. Megumi nodded her consent to his plan. After all, if he was part of an operation to retrieve a lost agent he had to be pretty experienced and good at what he was doing, or so she thought. Kaoru nodded as well.

"You have noticed something is amiss? But you've only been in the Camp for what- a day or so?" 

Kenshin cursed her perceptiveness. Thankfully, the first colonna of males chose this very moment to leave the dining hall, and he was quick to grasp this opportunity to pull out.

"I will go now, that I will," the red-haired man declared in his soft voice. The women looked as if they seriously considered tying him up in order to keep him for questioning. Kenshin didn't want to risk that. Putting on a burst of his infamous speed he scooted back to the male's area, shooting a parting glance at them over his shoulder.

"That was fast." Kaoru's jaw hung slack. 

"That it was," Megumi amended.

*~*

The almost palpable tension in the air- for which the fast approaching thunderstorm was not entirely responsible- made the fine hairs at the back of Sanosuke Sagara's back stand up. Carrying his twenty-third bucketload of mud he lazily trotted downhill when he caught sight of a familiar red head sloshing through a puddle a few feet in front of him. Twin ends of his red bandanna tailing him he sped up, eager to enter into an interesting conversation with the man he had met the day before. Sanosuke knew a fighter when he saw him, his own experience in that field, after all, being the main reason why he had landed within the confines of the Camp. And that guy, whose name had never caught, exuded the underhanded air of confidence only those absolutely sure of their abilities had.

"Yo!" he called out.

"Hello, Mister Sanosuke," was the reply. Strangely enough the redhead seemed to have _known_ it was him behind his back- he hadn't even broken his stride to see who was calling him, and after the fragment of a conversation they had had the day before no normal person should be able to remember another's voice with perfect clarity. Sanosuke grinned to himself- there was more to the shrimp than met the eye, and he was determined to find him out, and if he was a fighter, he would fight him. More fun than he had had in months! His excitement was so great it made him oblivious to his surroundings, and it was only thanks to the lightning quick movements of a certain strange man that he didn't land face-first on the muddy stone slate that had caused him to slip in the beginning.

"You should look out a little, that you should, Mister Sanosuke," chided Kenshin, unaware of how similar this conversation was to the one Megumi and Kaoru had had the day before.

"Just call me Sano- I ain't no Mister, and my name's too long anyways. And you're?"

"Kenshin. Himura Kenshin."

"Thanks, Kenshin. Say, you some kinda fighter?"

He noticed the subliminal stiffening of the red-haired man's back. "What makes you think I am, if I may ask?" 

Sano grinned to himself. "You walk like one, and I heard rumors… back when I was a fighter myself."

"Well, I can't say anything as to whether or not those rumors are true, but I know a bit of self-defense," Kenshin was forced to admit. 

"You up to a fight?" Sano's eyebrows rose hopefully.

"I do not wish to break too many rules, that I do not. I don't want to get into any problems, and fights usually mean problems, that they do," Kenshin reasoned. Sano snorted.

"If you're afraid to break the rules the rules will break you."

Kenshin simply walked along, pondering Sano's words. He felt the street fighter had in a single sentence stated the philosophy of a lifetime. He might seem crude, unrefined and a ruffian at first glance, but underneath all this he had an intuitive kind of wisdom, an understanding of how the world worked that made him a memorable person and a worthy friend.

Sano adjusted his pace to that of the much smaller man next to him, not that he had to slow down, it was just a more- gliding kind of walking than the street fighter's rocky strides. He wondered what occupied the redhead's mind since his eyes were glazed over in deep thought and had become more of a dark violet than the blue they had been when he had first met him. That guy was a mystery to him. His small frame should have made carrying mud all over the place a next to impossible task for the man, yet he didn't seem to strain in the least, thus making him closer to Sano himself in strength than what the street fighter had estimated. A big scar on the left side of his face marked him as someone who had seen combat yet Kenshin was unwilling to enter into a fight, something Sano, for whom fighting was a recreational activity, could not understand. 

Since most of the men were too tired and overworked to even consider talking while doing their task the path was not as heavily guarded as the rest of the working areas. Most of them needed to save their breath in order to be able to climb the sharp incline at the hill's crest, but if anyone would want to have a conversation the path was where to have it, Kenshin mused. Should he ever have to plan anything with anyone he would do it here. And he was already almost certain he would offer this 'Sano' a chance to aid him and escape life and- ultimately- death at the Camp.

The air tingled with nervousness when the two men descended the hillslope for the umpteenth time in a row. The women were crouched lower over their troughs and the guards marched more sharply. Punishment was meted out more freely, the cries of those struck the only non-military sounds audible.

"What's going on there?" Sano asked, decidedly worried.

"I don't know, that I don't," Kenshin said. But I know it doesn't bode too well for us, that it doesn't, he added for himself. He didn't want to bet his life on it but he assumed the days' strange happenings had something to do with some sort of supervisor coming to visit. The work force seemed to have increased- he noticed several children among the women who had definitely not been there the day before, and the frantic pace at which everyone sorted through the mud spoke of some threat uttered should they appear to be too lazy or should it seem as if anything was out of order.

Adjusting his pace to a more wearily yet hasted shuffling Kenshin made his way through the rows of troughs, keeping an eye out for Agent Takani and that Kaoru girl. Sano on is heels he finally spotted them pretty far back, next to a spiky-haired youngster who, with hair a little younger and a few inches taller could have passed for Sano's brother. Kenshin jerked his head into their direction to show Sano where exactly he intended to deposit the mud. Since the further out in the field the trough was the less raw material reached it- nobody exactly cherished the thought of going a meter beyond what was absolutely required- there should not be a problem with his choice of delivery.

Sano soon realized Kenshin had a certain pair of women in mind while he went along. He wanted to make a sniding remark, but the guards that were all over the place proved to be a rather effective means of inhibiting his intentions. Kenshin unerringly wove through a throng of squatting women until he stood right next to a beautiful elegant one whose straight hair shone and whose sharp brown eyes had already spotted them. Sano blinked- her gaze was so calculating and for a moment he could have sworn there were little triangular fox ears attached to her head. In the twilight of the day, however, and on second glance, she was stunningly beautiful and didn't sport any strange animal-like appendages whatsoever.

Sano winked at her, but she didn't even see him as her eyes were all over his red-haired companion. A little crestfallen he looked at the woman beside his intended target. She was obviously a little younger and less womanly, but on the pro side she had the deepest sapphire eyes Sano had ever seen on a person. Of course they couldn't compare to molten chocolate fire and foxiness, but still…

"What's your name?" ha asked, silencing his rumbling voice as much as possible.

"Kamiya Kaoru. Call me Kaoru," she answered absently. Sano fumed when he saw what her attention was concentrated upon. What did that scrawny little man have that he had not? Little Missy and Foxy Woman were firmly hanging onto his lips while one of the most gorgeous men to walk the earth stood right next beside him!

"What are you doing, talking to _Busu_ over there?" the youngster who squatted next to Kaoru suddenly spoke up in a very rude voice. The woman Sano had gotten to know as Kaoru actually took her eyes off Kenshin for a second to shoot the kid a killing glare, but refrained from any further action. 

"Hey, kid, watch what you're saying!" Although he was not the greatest cavalier in the world Sano didn't feel like letting this boy insult the little female like that.

"I say what I want to, and _Busu_ is always splashing me with mud. Too stupid to simply wash those stones out of it without doing so!" The boy bristled. This time Kaoru _did_ react a little more violently, namely reaching over with a hand and bopping the boy on the head. The resulting sound was definitely hollow-sounding, and Sano chuckled. 

"Better think about that statement again, kid!"

"I'm _not_ a _kid_! My name's Myojin Yahiko, and I'm a descendent of a legendary Samurai!" was the answer whose volume was just a tad beneath a scream. The boy was really insulted now, and it took warning glances and pointing to the guards looking in their direction from all of the adults present to get him to shut up. 

Kenshin smiled at the boys' antics and carefully emptied his second bucket into the trough to conceal the noises of their conversation. Agent Takani hadn't had any more success than he had in finding the reason for the hubbub in the Camp. He looked over to his taller companion. Sano had long since disposed of what he had been carrying and was only loitering around waiting for Kenshin to finish talking about whatever he was talking about.

"Oi! You gonna come some time today?" He _was_ after all an ex-street fighter and as such entitled to a little impatience. The boy glared at him for that, but kept sifting through the mud without saying a word. 

Kenshin frowned at the street fighter and continued listening to a rapidly talking Foxy Woman. Sano scowled. He wished her eyes were on him, and no, he wasn't above some petty jealousy. It was all right to be jealous. Hell, he had a _right_ to be jealous! And he would do something to improve his situation right about- now! 

"Oi, Kenshin! You not gonna introduce me to the pretty ladies?" 

Kenshin blinked once, twice, and finally regained his posture- without even oro-ing once. "Oh. Sagara Sanosuke, this is Takani Megumi. Takani Megumi, this is Sagara Sanosuke, that he is. I believe Miss Kaoru introduced herself to you already, that I do."

Sano grinned his best and most winning grin at Foxy Lady, no, Megumi. "A pleasure to meet you. Call me Sano."

"I am Megumi." Her voice was calm and cool, controlled, refined, elegant- and the exact opposite of his own. Sano admired it as he had admired her beauty a moment earlier. 

"We have no time left, that we have not," Kenshin stated, his eyes suddenly narrowed and a tint of a light golden color that hadn't been there before in them. "I believe we should leave you alone now immediately, that we should." The insistence behind his words was obvious, yet Sano wasn't willing to let the striking fox slip through his fingers now that he had met her. He stayed firmly rooted to the spot.

"Ken-san is right, you know… Rooster-head," Megumi chided when Sano didn't move a muscle.

That did the trick. The tall man bristled with anger. His hair electrified, muscles taut, face scrunched up in fury he was nearly jumping the woman.

"I am _not_ a rooster-head, you… fox!"

It was thanks to Kenshin that the situation didn't escalate more. Blocking Megumi from Sano's view by gliding between the two in an impossibly fast motion did the trick. "Maa, maa, I don't think we should fight, that we should not. Sano, we have to go _right now_!"

Perplexed people looking at him as he raised his voice didn't take the strained urgency from his tense body. His eyes were rapidly shifting from pure violet to mostly amber gold. Something was approaching, and he'd rather not stick around until it was there. Why? He couldn't say, it was his instinct, his years of training and the unerring perception of his surroundings that told him to run, to hide from whatever was coming nearer by the second.

He started walking back to whence he had come from, measured, brisk strides quickly crossing the distance- at least the first two did before a wailing sounded from the loudspeakers installed around the working area and the Camp. After the wailing had died down a crackling voice came on air.

"All workers remain in their current position and be ready to greet our new overseer which has been transferred here thanks to the endless benevolence of our beloved Regime!"

 Freezing, Kenshin for a second looked like a deer trapped in the headlights. Considering his options, he decided to go back to Kaoru, Megumi, Yahiko and Sano. The women as well as the boy had risen and were standing next to Sano- who seemed non too displeased with that- and the spiky-haired, grumpy-looking youngster Kenshin had noticed earlier. He would join them. Better to become invisible as part of a group of colorless slaves.

Only one hitch in his plan: this group of slaves was anything _but_ colorless.

His reasoning told him he would not stick out as much among a group of oddballs. Red hair, after all, was nothing in comparison to Sano's inappropriate clothing, Megumi's looks, Yahiko's grumpy face (he still wasn't over Sano's "kid" comment) or Kaoru's eyes. Trying to calm himself even though his mind screamed for him to burst into action he stood next to Sano, eyes downcast, hiding his face behind the red curtain of his hair.

A troop of guards marched past, their arms swishing at their sides in unison as their boots imprinted upon the soil the statement that they were superior to the poor human beings flanking their path. Kenshin followed their movements out of the corner of his eyes, which had turned almost completely golden with only small flecks of violet interspersed in the amber as a reaction to him slipping more and more into the highly emotional mindset the adrenaline rush he was experiencing caused. 

The second troop of guards was wearing parade uniforms. Kenshin could feel Sano next to him tense while Kaoru on his other side started trembling slightly. Reaching out with his honed senses the agent felt the agitation of almost everyone in the vicinity. Even the guards were not immune, their strides filled with a fear he could not find the cause of. 

Then the blare of brass instruments flooded the air. The agent jumped slightly, the sound was almost too loud to bear. Composing himself, he let his shoulders drop a little to simulate tiredness and stood slightly off-balance. A small group of people, about five of them on horseback, was making its way along the path lined by workers bowing to them. Kenshin shuddered at the coldness and malice at least one of them exuded and quickly withdrew into himself as to not be spotted. Surrounding the horsemen were some soldiers on foot. They were strong, and they were trained well unlike the Camp's guards. 

However, the ones the agent was worried about were not the soldiers, it was the riders he was wary of. Their strength, though he had barely any of his senses extended, was on a different level. His golden eyes shone as he watched them draw nearer. Small hairs at the back of his neck prickled, and he was extra careful to mask his _ki_. In times like these he cursed his shishou for having taught him too much. Had he been a normal agent the danger of being detected would not have been that great…

Who are you kidding? his inner voice scolded, it would be the same. Nobody would have expected the Regime to have people skilled in my way of fighting at their disposal. His way of fighting. He wanted to forget about it. It was too dangerous for those around d him to even think of it. His _ki_ would react to his thoughts and become a flashlight in the dark to the skilled ones. It was all he could do to dampen it so far that even his senses were affected.

Kaoru stood and watched from downcast eyes as the uniformed riders with the sharp eyes came nearer and nearer. Next to her, Megumi was in some kind of stupor, standing so still she seemed to be made of stone. She herself couldn't suppress the shudders that raced up and down her body, made her hairs stand on end and caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. She felt cold, and it grew worse the nearer the riders got to her. Kenshin next to her didn't seem to notice something wasn't _right_ about those people, if anything his eyes seemed duller than a minute ago. His face was expressionless, he was withdrawn into a shell she could not penetrate, just like Megumi. Kaoru felt more vulnerable than she ever had, even when she had entered the Camp for the first time had she not felt this- _exposed_. 

Finally she couldn't bear it anymore. Wrapping her arms around herself she tried to stop herself shivering. And regretted her action immediately. Her movement attracted looks- looks from jade green, predatory eyes staring down at her from where their owner was perched on his mount. She felt herself shrink under the stare of those eyes, felt smaller than a child, naked, her very core laid bare for the world to see. She knew they knew every single time she had broken the Camp rules. She knew they knew she had been talking just a minute ago. She knew they knew about the little pauses she took when none of the guards was looking. And she knew there was no way she could lie should they confront her with the fact that they knew. 

Kaoru flinched under the unwavering yellow glare and involuntarily took a step backwards. Danger! her mind screamed at that, but her body's reaction was not to be controlled. Eyes downcast she willed her trembling muscles to stop moving as the other riders turned their attention to her as well.

"What is this? An offender who has been found guilty?" Green-eyes spoke, his voice impassive and icy. Kaoru flinched again. It cut her like a knife. She felt her throat constrict from fear, her eyes widened, her face was flushing red. Under the scrutiny of those yellow eyes, how was she supposed to stay calm? Her hands trembled worse and worse. She was caught. 

Kenshin could have slapped himself in the face. There he was, worried about himself only, and completely forgetting about the rest of the people who were standing around him. The blue-eyed girl, Kaoru, possessed a fairly strong aura, and of course the riders had to have caught onto that. Her not knowing how to manipulate it resulted in them sensing her feelings. And these feelings made her an excellent target. Agent Takani was acting according to her training, having completely shielded herself. She would not be able to react to the outside world very well in this state, but at least no one could read her. She was not skilled in using _ki_, all she did was employ the standard procedure that was drilled into agents-in-training for these situations. But if Kaoru was continuing to act as strange as she did right now the riders would eventually turn their attention to her companions. Which was what Kenshin had to avoid. Agent Takani was endangered enough as it was. He had to act.

Before he could do so, however, the young boy who had been standing meekly besides him spoke up. 

"Leave her alone. She hasn't done anything but wash those stones from the mud!"

Green-eyes turned his attention instantaneously towards the boy, grazing Kenshin with his look as he did so.  "So, you're a brave one, are you?" 

To his credit the boy didn't flinch. He only turned his gaze away from the piercing jade eyes as soon as possible. Kenshin on the other hand could not suppress his reaction. The instant he had felt the man's eyes upon him he knew that he knew him- and that he was even more dangerous than he had anticipated. His _ki_ flared at recognizing the man, just a little, almost imperceptible, but the man was a Master, and he noticed.

Green eyes swept over Yahiko once more before settling onto a small redheaded man.

"Oh, and I think this one is noteworthy too," he said.

Kenshin had completely masked himself again. His eyes had even turned back to violet as he fought down every emotion that could taint his _ki_ and reveal him to be anything else but a harmless Camp worker. He would fail to ban the glint from his eyes that showed he was not as afraid as he pretended to be, so he instead hid them behind his bangs. He flinched and nervously shuffled back a small step like Kaoru had to help his act along.

"Who are you?" Green-eyes had targeted him for sure as the origin of the _ki_ flare. Kenshin tried to sound as frightened as seemed appropriate. 

"This unworthy one's name is Himura, my Lord." He said bowing deeply while keeping his gaze on the man's face warily.

"Himura, I see…" Green-eyes seemed to ponder something for a second. Kenshin felt his muscles tighten. That man didn't know him by the name of 'Himura', and they had never met eye to eye, but there was a slight possibility he might recognize him, or, more specifically, his _ki_. 

"Well, you certainly seem to be guilty, too. I guess we'll have to question this one further, don't you think so?" 

Several of the soldiers and all of the riders nodded. Kenshin felt worse with every passing second. If they found out who he was… well, no one could withstand everything, especially if they decided to drug him, and as a top-level agent he was one of the most valuable catches the Regime could ever hope to make.

"He will tell us what he has done. Take him with us," the green-eyed man ordered. 

To be continued… 

Wow. Another chapter done in three days. Actually, it's two days and a day of betaing and revising. Well, I guess the news that I will finish school next summer is more invigorating than I estimated it to be… I will, however, not be able to keep up this pace :(. Next week is horribly busy with end-of-the-year festivities and some of my family visiting, so the next update will probably only be next Sunday .I apologize for the wait!  

Even better than knowing I only have one year in that hellhole called school left are, of course, your reviews! They make me feel warm and tingly all over, every time I  open my mailbox and find one of those bot @ fanfiction .net- messages waiting for me I go crazy- I honestly do! My friends at school and my family already throw suspicious glances at me when I go to a computer… but I am just so happy to read your comments, and that's why I want to thank all of you personally!

**Chris**: *grins* you were right in most points- thank you! I hope you continue reading!

**Koe760**: Wow! *blushes* Thanks for the praise. I guess I'll be running around with an inflated ego for a while- and, of course write as fast as I can!

**Liann**: _Writing is in progress!_

**Dove of Night**: _no such thing as a 'too long chapter'? I am relieved! By the way: 'Dark' is awesome! I have yet to write a review, but I just wanted to say your fic is great! Everyone, go read and review Dove of Night's story! I will write faster if you do!_

**Natstuko152**: _I'll try to meet your expectations. Thanks for commenting on Shadow's Light!!!_

**Breremarer**: _What is free time *takes out dictionary*? *lol* No, I'll stick to this length, I think… it's more comfortable! _

**TK**: _Thank you! Keeping them in character is sooo hard *loves complaining*! But I'll try to do so in the future as well… as to the detail: I have a tendency to get stuck on it too much- could you tell me if that is the case in this or the next chapters? I would be eternally grateful since it is a habit which is very hard to break… _

**Moomoo**: _I thought having the agent be Kaoru would be a little too cliché *grins*. Thanks for the compliment!_

**All those who read this story**: _Thank you for reading! But these cyber-muffins with sugar sprinkles are for reviewers only! *sticks out tongue*_

_Well, I have to go now! Please, click that little button down left and leave me a piece of your mind concerning the story! I will give you a cyber-muffin for that!!!_

_Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	4. Chapter 3 Storm

_Ciao!!!_

_Oh well- the Week from Hell is over, and I am finally allowed to touch my laptop again, what with my cousins around I didn't dare to do so for fear of them playing around with my programs and settings. They imagine they're good with computers so they try out their 'skills' on any harmless innocent technical wonder they get their hands on. Those 'skills' mainly are how to play stupid egoshooter games and maim others' programs… fortunately my twin's got a few friends with real skill who helped me reconstruct (and protect) my system after my cousins once got a hold of my old desktop- those guys are amazing programmers! They even wrote a security program for me which is by now running on my laptop! Thank you!!! _

_Aside from family terror I also had to make my decision on whether or not to skip another grade. I'm going to do so, even though neither my parents nor my twin are entirely happy with this. They think studying at 16 years of age is too young… but they also say it's my decision, and they'll help me carry it through. Well, the schoolyear's finished, and I have two weeks of holidays before Summer Science Camp  (a really fun activity I've been doing for the past two years. You get to go to a university, attend lectures on the subject of your choice and also have laboratory courses… I'm into biochemistry this year, hope it turns out all right). I guess I'll be able to write lots during those two weeks! At least that's the plan… Hmm, today's Sunday, and I didn't finish that chapter yet- shame on me… there go my good intentions! Well, it's setting the scene for the next one, which will be the real important one,and it isn't easy to write. I am afraid it is a bit hastened…_

_OK, I guess I am rambling too much again. It's a hobby of mine… I hope you'll still enjoy the story!_

_Notes__: As for Kaoru having a strong ki- I went on the information from the Manga, where Jin'eh says something along the likes of for her to be able to break his Shin-no-Ippou she has to possess a stronger kenki than he does, and since she was able to escape his hold I just assumed she had this strength. But since she couldn't do so without being worried about Kenshin I concluded she doesn't really know how to control it. I don't know if this is correct, but I couldn't find any other source of information on the matter._

_Jinei Udo: I don't know how to spell his name. It's different in every language (as far as I know) and in every scanlation. There's Jinnei, Jinneh, Jyneh, Ji'neh, Jin'eh, Jin-ne, Jin'ne… I decided on the one I thought looked best! If anyone knows the correct spelling please, please tell me!!! I'd honestly like to know how this guy's name's spelled! As for the color of his eyes: I only know the German manga illustrations. If it is different in the US or in the anime I'm sorry!_

And now… on to the show! (uh, I mean story) 

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 3 Storm 

"How long since you've last seen him?" Megumi's voice was laced with worry. Kaoru sighed and scrubbed furiously at a really persistent mudstain on her work uniform. Her head bowed low she desperately clung to the rough fabric.

"Three days. It's been three days. And nobody has seen him. I've talked to Sanosuke once today. He and that green-eyed madman seem to have vanished from the face of the Earth. Sano's worried he might have been killed."

"If that is so then there's nothing we can do about it," Megumi said coolly. Her brown eyes showed her worry and fear, however. If Himura was suspected to be a spy…

"I know," Kaoru replied, downcast. 

"But I trust Ken-san. He will be alright!" Kaoru couldn't share the optimistic view Megumi displayed. Her heart ached at the thought of the red-haired man being put through what the Camp managers called an 'interrogation'. Why? she asked herself, why am I worried about him? I don't even know him! But fact was, her heart had been stolen the minute she had seen him guide the children, lightening their day with a simple smile. Only she wasn't very good at admitting the facts… she had never been. Why else would she be in the Camp? If only she had been more careful, if only she had listened to the suggestions of Kihei and Gohei Hiruma, if only she hadn't been stubborn enough to want to defy the Regime and its cruel 'laws', if only she were one to bow down and accept her fate, if only she were more brave… she could continue the list endlessly in a spiral of hopelessness. It was her fault that Kenshin had been taken, her fault that she was ruled by childish fears, her fault that the green-eyed man's eyes were able to stun her into submission. She was like a helpless infant. If Yahiko and Kenshin hadn't stood up for her she would have… 

I am useless, a coward, a little girl, she berated herself. Pessimism accelerated the spiral towards depression, she knew that, yet she was caught in it and nothing she could do would… 

I will get out of here one day, she promised herself, and I will take back what's rightfully mine! Her spirit was the only thing that refused to be caught in that spiral, breaking it with a mighty effort at optimism.

Admit to the facts: You're helpless, you're weak, you're afraid, you don't have any means to escape, you don't have a plan to escape, and you don't know where you will go _should_ you manage to do so despite the odds. That's harsh, but it's reality. Somehow, her inner voice of dark realism refused to listen to what she wanted to think. "And I will _not_ admit you're right, pessimism," she growled, earning strange looks from both Yahiko- who had somehow managed to trade places with someone else so he was close to Megumi and Kaoru- and Megumi. 

"That's great to hear, Kaoru. I feel like an attitude like this will aid Ken-san a lot." Megumi said dryly.

Ken-san? When had the doctor come up with that endearing nickname for _her_ Kenshin? Ah- she remembered hearing it as far back as their second encounter! Kaoru was a little annoyed at the older woman's antics… Ok, more than a little.

Since when has he become _your_ Kenshin, Kaoru? she asked herself absently, but her mind mostly ignored the useless question. He had been so from the beginning. After all, I saw him first. I have every right to call him mine!

"As will your comments!" she snapped in response. Megumi raised an eyebrow at her.

"My, my, someone's overprotective of her crush."

Blushing and stuttering Kaoru wanted to deny that, but all her actions elicited from Megumi was a ringing suave and artificial-sounding laughter. 

"I- no, I don't-" Megumi only chuckled, the sound of laughter too likely to attract a guard. Kaoru sighed. Now, what had she been thinking about Kenshin?

You're hopeless, Kaoru! she continued to clean her garment.

****

He was awake. At least he thought he was awake, since he was aware of the numbness. But perhaps he wasn't awake, and the fact that he was aware of the numbness was just a dream? He didn't know, and to be honest, his tired brain didn't even want to find out. For the moment he only wanted to rest. After all, it was pitch black around him, perhaps a hint of gray at the edges of his vision but otherwise darker than the darkest night. He thought about that, and decided that if it was night he most definitely was dreaming.

Don't be silly, he told himself, if you can think and imagine you're dreaming you must be awake!

He mulled this over for a second. It held a true ring to it. So, if he was awake he should be moving. If he didn't move he was certain the guards would make him move, which was something he didn't really want to experience. Gathering his wits together he tried to overcome the numbness by sitting up. Something restricted him, and he tried harder to move.

He was rewarded with a pain so blinding it forced the air out of his lungs, the hissing sound of air rushing past his clenched teeth painfully loud in his ears. His body didn't react like it was supposed to, a heavy sluggishness permeating each muscle, and his arms not moving more than a few inches from their position behind his back. His feet were bound, too, and he was lying on his side on the floor, as he found out a half-second later. Ignoring the pain, he futilely struggled against his bonds.

"Ah, you're awake again."

Of course, it was green-eyes, the strangely light pupils unfocused. He really did look like a maniac, lacking the white of his eyes, them being a solid turquoise green with light white-green pupils. The man was half-crazed, or perhaps he had been born crazy, Kenshin didn't know. He assumed it was the latter, his mind, still affected by the haze of agony churned with unnecessary thoughts while at the meantime reprimanding itself for doing so. The leering face of green-eyes boring down on him didn't help the matter either. After threatening the Kaoru girl had provoked Kenshin's mistake green-eyes had been quick to focus his attention on the agent. Fortunately he hadn't had any inkling that Kenshin might be an infiltrator- the agent had a lingering suspicion that the interrogation would not have gone the way it had had that been the case.

"Well, you certainly seem to break a lot of rules for having been here only such a short time," green-eyes continued. 

Kenshin had had no qualms about admitting to what he had done while in the Camp. Freely telling all of his crimes after having been… persuaded to do so he had wanted to seem meek and obedient when confronted. He had wanted to make the flare of his _ki _nothing but an erratic phenomenon even he didn't know how it came about. In all of his tales, he had made sure, however, to leave out the names of his acquaintances and especially that of Agent Takani. His act had been convincing- he hoped. 

"I… am sorry," he gritted. His act was going well, he believed. Even though green-eyes was still looking at him suspiciously. It was nothing, he convinced himself. Just a reflection of the light at the ceiling of the 'interrogation chamber' he had been placed in. No suspicion at all.

Laughter rang from green-eyes' throat, destroying Kenshin's hopes. "And you want me to believe you? Your _ki_ was stronger than that- and you've not yet shown it to me again. Your body seems to be strong enough to take the punishment- but what about the girl?"

Kenshin's heart froze. The man had been playing with him for the past three days. Allowing him to get his hopes up. Allowing him to relax. Making everything seem less dangerous and painful, even though he inflicted pain upon him. Kenshin knew he was strong enough to survive, but even though the young girl possessed more _ki_ than the average person did he couldn't submit her to the torture that was sure to await her. A torture different from the one he had been through. 

Amber flickered through his eyes as his own spirit reacted to the threat instinctively. His mind screaming at him to stop the nonsense, to not provoke the green-eyed Regime official any more, but his instincts wouldn't hear of it. His _ki_ rose challengingly before he could dampen it again.

"Ah, finally we're getting somewhere. Now I see. You're a real opponent for Jinei Udo when you're like that."

Kenshin clenched his teeth as the handle of the whip green-eyes- no, Jinei- was carrying that day connected with his midsection lighting the fires in his ribs anew. Judging from the grating feeling at least one of them was cracked or broken, most likely during those beatings he had had to endure in the first few hours after they had started to 'interrogate' him. He had not told them anything- not until he had been unconscious three times and other means were being used on him. Were they back to Stage 1, beat the prisoner up, again? Kenshin held his breath as a second blow almost spiraled him back into the blackness. Carefully drawing in a hesitant, painful lungful of air he contemplated the situation. 

Why is he telling me his name? He didn't do so for the past… I guess it has already been more than two days, that I do. They don't normally start with electric current until the second day. And I think they are finished with that by now, that I do. Why else would he be using that thing on me again?

"I consider myself lucky to have found a challenge," Jinei continued after watching the helpless Camp 'worker' struggle for breath, "there're few enough- most of you happy Campers are just shells. Annoying. Whining. Weak. You're different. I guess… no, I know I'll fight you. A little distraction for Udo Jinei in his boring work of inspecting the Camps."  

Fight me? What is this guy thinking? He is running into certain death! The voice of his emotional side was ridiculing the mere idea of somebody fighting him. But I am injured, that I am. I won't be as fast as I use to be, reason intervened. And what does he mean by 'fighting'? Kenshin's eyes nonetheless lit up at Jinei's words.

"Yes. A nice little fight with this strong little guy. It will raise my spirit. I will kill you, boy, so don't get your hopes up. But if you fight well enough I might just let you live… and if you kill me you'll be let free in the Camp again, how's that? Have we got a deal?"

"I won't fight you, that I won't!" Kenshin refused.

"Then I will have to ask that little girl of yours what happened…" Jinei chuckled. "Or even better, I'll collect all of them. All of those who were with you at that time, and I'll interrogate them. And you- you will watch as I get to make that blue-eyed girl scream. Or have we got a deal?"

Kenshin's eyes glittered with an excited mixture of violet and amber. "We have," he answered, his voice a little darker than usual, more threatening, deeper.

"I heard he got back that morning." Sano stood directly behind Megumi and Kaoru, who were once again squatting side by side in front of the mud trough. Kaoru perked up at his words.

"Really?" She asked, blue eyes shimmering hopefully in the afternoon light. For once, the rain had stopped revealing the harsh beauty of the tundra. 

"I overheard the guards speaking about it. Apparently he's pretty busted, so he won't work again until tomorrow." 

"Busted?" Megumi cocked an eyebrow at the tall spiky-haired man. Although her tone was light and teasing Sano overheard the underlying uneasiness. 

"I think he's gonna be OK. Little guy's tougher than anyone I've ever met. He'll pull through." He answered the unspoken question.

Kaoru gave a small cry of anxiety, and Sano reassuringly squeezed her shoulders while giving Megumi a lopsided grin. Foxy-woman haughtily stuck her nose up in the air, debonair and aloof as always even under the worst of circumstances. 

"If he has got problems, I'll be able to help him," she said, her cultured voice surprisingly warm. Sano nodded thanks at her. Foxy-woman might act as though she didn't like him and found him too rough around the edges, yet he was certain she was as attracted to him as he was to her. It was the way she acted, the way she moved differently when he was around. Sano was very perceptive where those things were concerned. Now if only Megumi would see what he saw…

Kenshin was surprised he had actually been allowed a day of rest in the bug-infested hut they called a hospital. His left shoulder, which had been pierced by Jin'eh's _katana_ had been roughly wrapped into rags serving as bandages. A grimace marred his face as he got up from where he had been lying down on a roughly hewn plank covered by a blanket. His battered body, which had been forced through a fight for life or death, protested his action. Still, he followed the guard who was sent to retrieve him wordlessly. He was given a scarce meal of oatmeal and a cup of water before the guard led him out of the hospital towards the shack in which the workers' clothes hang to dry. Kenshin followed him blindly, he was weaker than he had thought. 

The guard gestured with his bludgeon. Kenshin understood the meaning behind the action and complied with the order. Dressing in his work outfit which was still as damp as it had been three days prior he waited in front of the dining hall for the rest of the workers. Most of his face was hidden beneath his hair, his eyes, one of them slightly swollen shut, were studying his surroundings. The Camp was bleak and dreary as usual, from time to time the emaciated figure of one of the workers too weak to go to the mine and instead forced to do 'domestic duties' at Camp shuffled past. The horizon was tinted with streaks of flying angry violet gray, so dark it was frightening, speaking of the storm to come. The speed at which the clouds flew across its expanse spoke of the forces the wind possessed. Kenshin tried to estimate the time then storm would reach the Camp. The only conclusion he could draw, however, was that it would be much too soon, yet too late. He guessed it would be just when the workers had settled into their stations. 

And this means they will just force us to ride it out. he concluded. An erratic gust of wind whipped his clothes around his painfully thin body, sending shivers along his spine. Kenshin endured the cold stoically, even though he was more affected by it than usual.

The guard seemed to be unnerved by his silence. Kenshin barely moved out of the way of a bludgeon thrown at his injured shoulder. If the guard was disappointed that his 'accidental' hit had not connected he didn't show it. Kenshin was grateful for that. If the man had gotten angry and decided that Kenshin had to be taught a lesson… he was not up to it yet. He had to admit as much to himself. The last days had taken a toll on him and his body. Sleep deprivation, malnourishment, physical pain, those three had weakened him. If his body were to be submitted to more of this he would not be able to stand it. Feeling a little nauseated he leaned his back against one of the supporting struts, not caring that the rain that collected on the roof dropped onto his shoulders, thoroughly soaking his clothes. 

His eyes snapped open as soon as he heard the rustling sound of the men inside the dining hall getting up. The guard noticed a moment later when men started filing out of the building. He prodded Kenshin with his bludgeon, and the agent got in line, trotting with the others towards a day of work. 

Kenshin noticed within the first few minutes of walking that it would be a challenge not to collapse. His steps were carefully controlled, but every one of them sent a jolt of liquid fire through his ribs. He was breathing more shallow than usual, which left him breathless and exhausted when climbing the hill. Slowly, he fell back from his position in the middle of the colonna until he was near the very end, just because he couldn't walk as fast.

Sano stuffed his hands into the waistband of his work trousers. He had been issued a new set of clothes since his old ones had already been a dirty white from the wear and ready to tear at the seams, but he was anything but happy with them. His first action had been to rip open the shirt, as it was too narrow in the shoulders to fit his lanky but still muscular frame. Then, he adjusted the trousers which were too wide and too short for him as always. He had to bind them tightly about his waist, using s strip of cloth that used to be the sleeves of his old work shirt. Perhaps they would shrink over time, as had his old ones, but for the moment he had to put up with the inconvenience. At least his headband's twin ends fluttered proudly behind his head- some things stayed!

Turning scowling chocolate eyes into the gale that gave the impression it wanted to make up for the fairer weather of the last two days by pelting everyone outside with icy raindrops made into something like bullets by its speed Sano tried to see whether a familiar red-headed figure was among the colonna of workers. He was walking close to the front, as he always did since his long legs made the pace set by the guards already almost unbearably slow. Kenshin had always been up front as well. Today, however, he wasn't. Sano didn't think they had allowed him to rest more than a day, after all, he had been in interrogation less than a week and from what he had learned from his own experiences with interrogations it wasn't considered necessary to slack off any longer if you weren't seriously injured.

Whatever they classify as 'seriously injured', he mused.

His eyes stinging from the weather's onslaught he returned them to the path in front. The rain had increased in the past few minutes, ever since they had started walking towards the mine, and by now everything outside a fifteen foot radius was invisible behind a curtain of icy droplets. I guess Kenshin's somewhere back there. Gonna catch him later…

Huddled over Kaoru took a second to breathe some warmth into her lifeless fingers. Today had to be the worst ever. Never before had she felt this cold, never before had she had to endure such a weather out in the open. The field in which the troughs were situated offered the wind free passage, increasing its velocity. Pelted by raindrops and whipped by the sharp, freezing gale the females and children cowered at their places. Yahiko looked like he was about to collapse next to her, and even Megumi's composure faltered. The guards pulled their raincoats and pelts tighter around their bodies, their orders barely audible over the howling wind. Hell seemed suddenly a much more attractive place to Kaoru- at least it's fires offered warmth.

She wiped the rain away from her face with the back of her hand, however futile that gesture was as the next second new rivulets of near-freezing water ran into her eyes. Her hands couldn't feel a thing anymore, even if she saw one of the stones she was supposed to find she couldn't grasp it anymore. 

"I think they will order us back soon," Megumi shouted, the words torn from her lips as soon as she uttered them. Kaoru nodded. It didn't make sense to leave the workers out during a rainstorm in the tundra. 

"Kaoru?" Kaoru had more sensed than heard her name being called. Turning her head to the side she saw Yahiko clinging to the trough, his face a chalky white. "Kaoru, the wind's too strong!"

A moment later the girl realized what he had been talking about as the wind caught in her clothes and almost lifted her from where she was squatting. Her hands caught the edge of the trough in a death grip, knuckles shining white through the reddened skin. 

"Megumi, watch out!" she called. Yahiko had twisted his body around so that he now faced her. Reaching out with one hand she grabbed hold of the boy, steadying him despite his protests that he could do so alone. Megumi, taller and slightly heavier than Kaoru, scooted closer to her and Yahiko before joining the chain of hands by grabbing Yahiko. Together, the three of them waited for the call that would allow them to escape to safety.

Sano squinted the moisture from his lashes. He was atop the hill, exposed to the elements, buffered by the howling winds, assaulted by the merciless rain that was turning into hail as he stood there. His search for Kenshin had so far proved futile. The flash of his hair was nowhere to be seen, his slight figure presumably too well hidden in the chaos the weather produced. Resisting the forces of the storm Sano tried to look into the distance, but any attempt at doing so was thwarted by a new sheet of rain mixed with hail. Right and left of Sano, workers were losing the battle, their bodies to weak to withstand the pressure exerted upon them. Their cries drowned by the sounds of the storm they tumbled down the hillslope, towards the women or the mine. Sano gritted his teeth- if only he could help! But it already took all of his strength not to be pulled from his feet himself while carrying two bucketfuls of mud.

I guess those are expendable now. After looking at his load he released the ledger resting on his shoulders, sending the two buckets tumbling after another unfortunate worker who had lost his footing on the treacherous path. Sano sighed. Perhaps he should go searching for Megumi, Yahiko and Kaoru rather than spend his time looking for an elusive man he called his friend ever since he had met him. At least he had the hint of an idea where those three might be, as opposed to the other… Squaring his shoulders Sano began the precarious journey down the hill, towards the two women and the child. 

His eyes narrowed again. Hadn't he just heard his name being called? It had to be his imagination. Sano shrugged. The wind produced the weirdest sounds when hitting the barrier of the mine hill after having traveled freely across the expanse of the field. There- there it was again. Sano wiped his eyes clear of muddy water and tried to penetrate the semi-darkness and the veiling rain. 

"Sano!"

There, now he had clearly heard it. It had come from below… 

Balancing himself and gripping some of the coarse grass that by a miracle had survived the harsh climate he peered down the steep hillside beside the path. Except for darkness and a few wind-swept, crippled bushes looming out of the shadows he could discern nothing at all. Sano was about ready to write what he had heard off to his vivid and colorful imagination when his gaze caught onto something that was strangely out of place in the dark and muddy landscape. A sliver of white, no more than two feet from his right hand. A sliver that split into five smaller entities. 

A human hand. And where there was a hand it had to be attached to an arm and a person- unless Sano had treated the owner of that hand to a special treatment with his weapon, the Zanbatou, back before the time in the Camp. Logic held true- from the hand sprouted an arm, caked with mud, the garment once covering it having long since slid back and bunched up at the shoulder, effectively hiding the person's face from view.

"Sano, please, help me!"

The voice was desperate and full of pain. And it was a voice Sano knew. The wind blowing back the shirt's sleeve and revealing a flash of red hair confirmed his suspicion. "Kenshin?"

"Sano!" The pain was almost unbearable now. Kenshin felt blackness creep along his vision as he struggled to hold on, not to let go and fall into the darkness of the mine opening up beneath his feet. The wind had found an easy target in his light form, and due to his injuries slowing down his reflexes he had not managed to hold his balance, toppling over the side of the hill right where the ledge was narrowest. He didn't know how long he had hung there, ribs afire, the strain on his arms almost too much to endure, until he had finally sensed Sano coming along. "I'm here!"

Sano stretched his long arms to their utmost extent. Thankfully, his fingers immediately brushed against Kenshin's cold, clammy arm. Closing his hand around the thin wrist he heaved, pulling the slight and light form of his friend towards the safety of the ledge. Kenshin was breathing in shallow gasps, his eyes were closed, his face deathly pale even in the darkness of the storm.

"We… we have to find… Miss Kaoru… and Miss Megumi, that… we have," Kenshin gasped, struggling to upright himself. Sano gripped him underneath his shoulders and pulled him to his feet.   

"I was on my way already," he informed the exhausted agent. Kenshin nodded.

Fighting pain and nausea threatening to overwhelm him he carefully picked his way along the path that was rapidly turning into a river with the amount of water falling from the skies. Sano's presence behind him reassured him. He knew the other would not let him fall again, which made it a little easier to walk.

Later, Kenshin would not be able to tell how long it took for the two of them to reach the bottom of the hill. More than once he had slipped, and only thanks to Sano's steadying hands did he not make contact with the water and soil beneath his feet. His every step was a nightmare of agony, muscles screaming in protest against the strain they were put under, tendons tense to the point of tearing, bones aching and weary where they were not an agonized flare of their own. However, he managed to find his way onto the field. Now it was only a matter of walking across the open in the raging storm, to find three people in the middle of mayhem and to somehow return everyone to safety.

Sano held Kenshin by the shoulder before walking past him, offering what little protection against the storm he could. The red-head was in trouble walking, he had realized as much from the way he carried himself and how he flinched whenever his body was touched, besides, he also didn't know where exactly the women were. Counting off rows of troughs, unnoticed by the guards milling around mindlessly while trying to herd their workers to safety and evading the occasional bucket thrown around by the winds Sano led the way to where he had last seen Kaoru and Megumi, Kenshin following doggedly in his wake.

"Almost there!" he shouted, his words never reaching Kenshin's ears.

Actually, Kenshin had already noticed for himself the group of three clinging desperately to one another and the heavy trough in front of them. Grateful that they were safe he momentarily forgot his suffering.

"Miss Kaoru! Miss Megumi!"

The women couldn't hear him, but he guessed they had seen the moving shadows in the rain. "Sano! Kenshin! We need to find shelter somewhere!" 

The men acted at once. Grabbing one woman around the wrist each while Yahiko was held between Kaoru and Megumi, they hauled them to their feet and stumbled off through the rain.

"The guards have lighted torches to signal where we should go, and we heard there is shelter somewhere at the edge of the field," Megumi's voice made itself heard even through the noises the storm produced. Kenshin nodded. Stretching out with his senses he soon caught the rough presence of a guard nearby. 

"This way!" He turned right at an angle and led them out into the field. 

Soon, an orange light reflected upon the raindrops was seen, and a few seconds later they had actually reached the two guards and the pitiful group of people huddled at their feet. The men exchanged glances, their uniforms soaked through despite the protective raincoats they wore. Another torch was lighted, then one of them started walking away, followed by the stumbling handful of workers, both male and female, who had collected at his side.

It didn't take long to reach the shelters, barracks like those at the camp, only bare any furniture and in even worse shape. The roofs had holes, the walls were offering next to no protection against the wind, yet it was a little calmer and warmer in there than outside, and Kenshin was grateful for every bit of that. Very few people had been fortunate enough to find their way to the shelter, and after a quick glance at the bedraggled handful the guard left them again, once more braving the storm.  

Dropping down against the far wall of the barrack Kenshin tried to catch his breath and regain a minimum measure of control over his trembling body. The pain had become so intense it had faded, leaving him dully aware of his surroundings and his desolate state. Sano, Yahiko and the women were sitting next to them, shivering and gasping for air as well. His heart was thumping against his ribs, sending erratic bursts of pain out from them. His pulse hammering in his ears Kenshin almost didn't hear his name being called. Forcing his tired eyes open he found himself face to face with concerned blue orbs.

"Kenshin?"  

He tried to smile. "I'm… O…"

Then there was only blackness. 

To be continued… Am I cruel or what? I managed another cliffhanger *grins*! But it isn't such a bad one as last time, is it? 

_Anyways, I have got absolutely NO time right now-  my friends are coming over to watch 'Legally Blonde' with me, and in English, too!- so I'll just say thanks for reading, 'til next time, oh, and pleasepleaseplease leave me a review!!! I am desperate for them!_

_Cya!!!_

_Chibi_


	5. Chapter 4 The group

Ciao!!! 

_And once again have I tortured my poor little laptop while writing… OK, it's only my twin who accuses me of doing that, but he says I have a very grim expression on my face when hacking the keyboard into pieces (if I have decided what to write I can type pretty fast) *grins* He's also saying I should spend more time cowslaying, so the insanity is equally distributed between the two of us since I'm not interested in that stupid computer game. I want to thank you all at the beginning of this chapter for the amazing reviews you gave me… can't wait 'till down there! But, I still have to say something at the end, so please check the A/N!!! That said, the only thing that remains for now is… Enjoy the story!!!_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 4 The group 

"Kenshin?" Pushing her exhaustion aside Kaoru turned to face the redhead. Shocked, she saw the deathly pallor of his skin and how laboured his breath was. His eyes were pinched shut, arms wrapped around his torso, shaking and trembling with cold and- Kaoru thought- pain. Upon hearing her his breath calmed somewhat. He drudgingly moved to look at her, eyes dark and overshadowed by his dripping wet bangs. For the first time Kaoru could see his face clearly, the dark bruise under his right cheekbone a vivid contrast to his white skin, the eye above nearly swollen shut. A small spark appeared in his violet orbs illuminated by the single torch that lit the shelter. 

"I'm… O…." he rasped, trying to force a small smile while Kaoru reached out to touch him. Before he could finish his sentence, however, his body collapsed against her as though he were a toy someone had pulled the plug on. 

Kaoru's shrill scream alerted the rest of the group slumping against the wall. Sanosuke jumped over to her and pulled Kenshin's unconscious form from her, Yahiko looked around wildly, trying to make out the attacker in the flickering torchlight and Kaoru, once she had gotten over her initial shock helped Sano to lay Kenshin down on a dry spot on the rough planks of the floor. Megumi was the only one who stayed calm, waiting until the three of them had settled down a little before making her move.

"Out of the way, Rooster-head," she snapped when Sano wouldn't make room for her. With swift, efficient movements she pushed back the sleeves of her work shirt, twisted her hair into a semblance of a braid on her back and shook the water from her hands as far as possible. 

"M... Megumi, what are you doing?" Sano asked, stupefied after having been simply pushed aside.

"Trying to help Ken-san, what do you think?" Megumi shot back, accompanying her explanation with a glowering look from her sharp brown eyes.

 Sano eyed her suspiciously. "Help him? How? Only thing we can do is try to keep him warm and-"

"Well, didn't you notice he has trouble breathing? That his eyes were glazed and he didn't move like he normally does?"

"Uh… I did, but-"

"No buts! Kaoru, help me. We need to get this shirt off of him. I think he has some internal damage."

"Huh? Oh, sure!" Kaoru blushed and kneeled down besides Kenshin's still form.

"Oy, why would you know that? You got x-ray- eyes?" Sano grumbled, moving to help with the struggle against the clinging wet garment as well.

"I am studying to become a physician after all!" Megumi declared, not without pride, "or have you forgotten that already, Rooster-head?"

"No, no." Sano finally had enough of the futile struggle against buttons hopelessly entangled in wet fabric. A ripping sound ensued, startling all of the inhabitants of the shelter. More than one head turned in their direction, but gazes were quickly averted once they caught sight of the glare Sano threw at them. "Waste of time," he grunted after receiving potent death glares from both Kaoru and Megumi.

Lightning flashed across the sky and shot blindingly through the gapes in the walls and roof of the shelter, stark black-and-white contrasts left in its wake until the eyes adapted to the softer torchlight again. The storm was reaching new heights, the shelter giving off ominous rattling noises whenever a gust of wind hit it. The torch flickered, in danger of going out, and two workers who had recovered enough quickly went and moved it further away from the shelter's entrance. Megumi patiently waited until the lighting conditions were more stable before brushing aside the tattered remains of a Sano-treated work shirt.

The sight that greeted her was an especially ugly one. Kenshin's torso was covered in an array of mottled bruises, some an angry red and violet, some bloody and raw, others slowly fading to green, but it was impossible to discern where one of them ended and the next began. His shoulder was wrapped in once-white rags that were stained crimson from the blood seeping from the wound below his collarbone. Sweat, blood, dirt and rainwater mixed on his skin and dripped to the ground around him. A cut on his arm had gone untreated and was glowing with the telltale signs of infection. To top it all off, he was so thin that his ribs shone through his skin so detailed that even the slight indenture of two of them was recognizable. It was a miracle he had been able to move. 

Kaoru gave a soft cry taking in the extent of Kenshin's injuries and buried her face in her hands. Sano gave a grunt of surprise. Yahiko's eyes went wider than before and he moved somewhat closer to Kaoru. Megumi hissed angrily between her teeth but set to work at once. Her touch was feathery light, her hands gliding over the shoulders and down to the ribcage of the unconscious man in front of her checking for broken bones. Her eyes went dark in concentration and fury when she felt how hot his skin was underneath the chill that was induced by the freezing outside air. 

"He's running a fever, dammit," she cursed under her breath. "And the first two ribs are cracked. Not broken through, yet. But if he keeps exerting himself like he has they will."

"Is he OK?" Yahiko asked peering down at Kenshin. 

"Don't you see that, kid?" Sano grumbled. 

"Kaoru, get some wet cloth over here. Take his shirt, as ripped as it is thanks to a certain someone-" she shot a pointed glare into the direction of that 'certain someone', "and just dip into one of the puddles outside. It's not cold and wet enough as it is. We'll have to cool him down. Sano, I need your shirt, too. His ribs and shoulder will have to be bandaged. Yahiko, help Sano tear his shirt into strips. Hurry!" 

Megumi's authority wasn't questioned as everyone went about their tasks. It only spoke for how callous all the other Camp inmates had become that not a single one of them offered to help them- or even sent more than a dull, curious glance in their direction. Nobody even protested when Megumi got up and moved the torch closer to Kenshin's position. They were content to sit and watch the display of rain and lightning through the cracks in the wall or the entrance opening, shivering and trying to ward off the cold by themselves. 

The young doctor stared ahead angrily. It was interesting how the most dire of circumstances brought out the best or the worst in people- but how much more often it was the worst. The workers were a prime example for that theory: spirits dulled they were so close to losing their humanity, so close to becoming nothing but the expendable tools the Regime saw in them. So few of them managed to keep their spirit alive after the first week, only because those who did usually disappeared… it made her want to retch, to shake those people and yell at them, tell them they were human and not animals… yet she did nothing, knowing she would earn nothing but vacant looks from dead eyes if she tried to wake them up.

"I am different," she murmured, "and I'm not going to change!"

"We don't want you to change, Foxy," Sano smirked, ripping the last of his shirt into strips, in an effort to lighten the mood. His only reward was a bump on the head which he was nursing when Kaoru returned, out of breath because the wind had even ripped that from her, a little more wet than she had been before and carrying Kenshin's tattered and dripping wet shirt.

"Thank you." She handed the cloth over to Sano. "There, you go tear it!"

Sano scowled but very easily tore the piece of cloth into smaller rags. Megumi nodded thanks at him- which elicited another grin from the tall fighter- and handed half of the pieces over to Kaoru. 

"Put them onto his forehead and change them whenever they get warm. I will bandage him up."

Kaoru complied, brushing aside Kenshin's bangs she placed the first of the cold, wet compressions onto his glowing face. He stirred lightly, frowning underneath the new weight to his head. 

"It's OK," Kaoru said.

At the sound of her voice his eyes shot open. Blazing amber they focused for a split second before he sat up with such force that Megumi, who was in the process of wrapping makeshift bandages around his midsection was thrown back. He winced when the movement caused new slivers of agony to arise. Carefully drawing a deep and painful breath he calmed himself. There was no danger. His eyes lost some of their focus, becoming gradually duller until they were a tired light violet.

"… K, that I am," he said. 

He wasn't allowed to do more than that. Before he could even blink he was on his back again with two women fussing over him, dabbing at his injuries, trying to turn him into an Egyptian mummy even though the material they had at their disposal was insufficient for such a project, bonking him on his hammering head when he protested their actions. Finally, the wrapping process was done to Megumi's satisfaction, and he was left free to carefully pull himself into a sitting position. Stretching his left leg out in front of him while drawing the right one to his chest Kenshin relaxed. The storm, at the moment, was outside the shelter, and pitiful as it may be it seemed sturdy enough to withstand the howling winds. 

"What happened to you?" Yahiko suddenly asked, his voice so quiet the storm almost drowned it.

"Oro?"

Kaoru looked like she wanted to bonk him on the head for that one, but after a look at his tired face and the strained tightness around his lips and eyes decided against it. 

"I would like to know as well," she said instead. Sano nodded vigorously.

"That ain't normal- people coming back from interrogations with sword wounds, that is. You better tell us."

Kenshin sighed. He didn't know if he could trust these people yet, but…

Wrong. You know you can trust them, it's just you're afraid to involve them. They could get hurt if they're involved, he rectified his thoughts. 

But what if they _want_ to get involved? When I look at them, I can't see them staying in that place any longer. They're ones who haven't lost their humanity, even the little boy Yahiko is more brave than most of the adults interned. If they stay, they will die. Can you consciously leave people to die? It's the same as killing… His eyes showed sparks of amber at the thought. I'm not killing anyone anymore! 

"All right. I'm telling you," he finally relented. 

"Then get to it!" Sano was slightly impatient. "Who knows how long this storm will last and we'll be free of guards?"

A wry smile played around Kenshin's lips. It was astonishing him how close that group had become to him in under a week. Ever since their very first meeting each member of the group had sneaked into his heart and made room for themselves there, never to move out again. He suppressed a shiver when a gust of wind rushed through a crack in the wall next to him, mercilessly assaulting his torso that decidedly lacked clothing except for the expertly wrapped makeshift bandages.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked nonetheless. 

"Because you're our friend." It was Megumi who had answered. He met her gaze and understood the silent plea in it. His fellow agent needed to know. 

"I… Thank you. This unworthy one thanks you a lot." Groans and rolling eyes from the members of the group. 

"Come _on_!" Yahiko urged. 

Ignoring the stiffness and the flare of pain in his body Kenshin leaned back more comfortably against the wall before starting to speak with a flat, unemotional voice that hid how much he had been affected, his eyes a deep, dark violet. 

"This unworthy one was taken to an interrogation cell. Sano is most likely familiar with them, that he is. They're basically nothing but small rooms bereft of any equipment except for what is deemed necessary for… their purposes, that they are. They left me there for a while before… they began questioning. Procedure was the usual- not worth repeating…. Suffices to say it wasn't… comfortable, that it does."

Sano's eyebrows quirked. "Don't speak in riddles!" he growled. "They beat you to within an inch of consciousness, revived you, and beat you again. No need keeping it secret, we've all seen the damage."

"That is… what has happened, that it is." Kenshin's voice still held no emotion, its bleakness frightening. "Beatings didn't work on this unworthy one, that they didn't. So they moved on… electric current is a great invention, that it is. It even livens the tongue they say… " He had to stop to catch his breath as a shiver wracked his body.

"Damn bastards!" Sanosuke repeatedly beat his fist into the floor until splinters were flying right and left and he was whacked over the head by Megumi. "Goddamn bastards doing that to an innocent. Think they're almighty. Damn them to hell!" 

Yahiko looked positively shocked but was holding out bravely. "I'll never forgive them," he swore, his eyes blazing with fury, "how could they do that to Kenshin?" 

The subject of their thoughts was currently fighting a coughing fit that would have shook his ribs, forcing a smile through tight lips before shivering uncontrollably at the sudden chill racing through his very bones. 

"They… they h- have the p- power, so they use it for bad, th- that they d- do," he forced out between chattering teeth.  

"Are you cold?" Kaoru asked, her concerned eyes boring down on him as he slumped weakly against the wall. "We're going to warm you. That is good, isn't it, Megumi?" 

The doctor nodded her consent. "The fever is not broken, I think." She said quietly. 

Kenshin shook his head. "This unworthy one would like to go on, please. Please don't worry, Miss Kaoru. You shouldn't do that, that you shouldn't." He collected his thoughts for a second.

"Still," Kaoru insisted, blushing furiously and scooting closer to the agent until tentatively their bodies touched, the heat from his fevered skin seeping into her and her warmth offering comfort to him. "We can fight the cold better as a group, right?" The others nodded and joined her, forming a protective circle around Kenshin to ward off the cold. Flanked by Yahiko on the left and Kaoru on the right, with Sano and Megumi kneeling slightly more into the center of the room but still only inches away from him he felt at once constricted yet strangely warm and protected, and he knew he could not disappoint them by dropping down from fatigue. Concentrating on the warmth they were emanating in their _ki_ as well as their bodies he found new strength and could continue speaking without his teeth clattering the rhythm to his words.

"Ie… fed them information on what has been done… that I was trying to talk to the other workers… but I said they were all playing by the rules and not answering, that they were. They didn't believe me, that they didn't…  so they sent Jinei, the man with the green eyes, to question me. Jinei was very good at questioning, that he was. Unfortunately, I was not very good at answering…" Purple eyes stared into the distance for a moment, envisioning the leering face of the green-eyed man who had so eagerly tortured him.

"Then… Jinei… wanted to question Miss Kaoru, that he did. He wanted me to reveal my _ki_ to him." Obviously, the group knew what he was talking about as no perplexed looks or startled questions were directed at him. 

"If I didn't… Jinei would put Miss Kaoru into the same position I was in, that he would. I had no choice... I showed him what I had shown three days ago."

This time Yahiko couldn't hold back. "What did you _do_ three days ago? I mean, there was green-eyes… Jinei, all over Kaoru, and then your eyes snapped open and the air vibrated and then Jinei was all over _you_ instead. Was that _ki_?"  

"Yes, that it was." Kenshin acknowledged, "and once Jinei had confirmed that the source of the _ki_ had indeed been me… he wanted to fight me."

"He wanted _what_?" Sano exclaimed, fire in his eyes.

"He wanted to fight me, that he did."

"Damn, why wasn't I there…" Sano grumbled in response but quickly shut his mouth after a patented fox deathglare from Megumi.

"I refused, that I did… but he once again threatened to take _all_ of you, so this unworthy one had to agree. I didn't think he would want a swordfight, that I didn't." Out of the flickering torchlight Jinei's face seemed to leer down onto him, and Kenshin quickly shut his eyes against the image. He couldn't shut out those in his mind, however, nor could he prevent the maniac laughter ringing in his brain as he once again faced off against the Regime official. Leaving the pictures to play against the back of his mind the agent continued, his voice even more bleak than before.

"He lead the way to the officers' training facility, which was empty. Gave me a _katana _like his own. I… have learned kendo, that I have. So has Jinei. He… told me he was an assassin from Japan and had joined the Regime because it gave him the opportunity to kill, that he did. I wanted to stop him, that I did. He wanted me to become enraged, that he did."

Kenshin shuddered with the rage of the memories flooding him. Jineis laughter, his accounts of how helpless his victims had been. He knew he was driving him into blind rage by telling how he had murdered countless women and children, innocent bystanders to his gruesome acts he didn't want to commit in the shadows in order to be able to kill more. The stench of blood he knew so well assaulted his nostrils, the soft hand he longed for reaching out for him on their last mission in Paris… her voice calling him, she was crying for him… Jinei taunting him…

"I shall kill that little girl just like that!" His long, tainted fingers, tainted like Kenshin's own, snapping in the air… and then his control had shattered. 

"JINEI!"

*~*

His mind echoed with his scream like the echo of thunder having just passed by. "And he had success, that he did." Remembering what he had done sent a chill down Kenshin's spine. 

*~*

He had rushed the mad assassin without thought, without emotion, just the cold, analytical mindset he knew so well, the rage building inside fueling a cold fire, more destructive than anything Jinei had ever encountered before. It was only his slowness resulting from his injuries that saved Jinei for the moment.

"So you do feel for that girl already?" Laughter, maniac laughter while he escaped his attacks, jumping back out of range. "I will enjoy killing her- after hearing her scream." 

*~*

"But I got my mind back, that I did, after Jinei showed me what techniques he had in store…" Kenshin's voice sounded like a recorder, his mind as far away as the storm outside seemed, reliving the fight. 

*~*

A flash of _ki_ emanating from Jinei, inhibiting his movements for just a second before he determined what it was and broke free by pitting his own _ki_ against it. 

"You think your puny technique can hold me?" A sneer on his face, desperate fight for control, evading the mind-numbing clarity of instinct, sanity beckoning just outside his reach. The fight within just as hard as the fight against his opponent. His sword clashing against Jinei's, a jarring impact for his weak body. Hesitation as control came back. Control and pain went hand in hand, Jinei stabbing at him, slicing his arm because he couldn't twist out of the way due to his ribs screaming bloody murder. His block coming too late, too weak to do any good, the impact sending him flying into the far wall of the training hall.

"Shin-no-Ippou has more than one technique!"

Out of range again, across the training hall, Jinei held his sword horizontally in front of himself. 

Self-hypnosis, the thought of it sending a chuckle from his raw throat.

*~*

"I didn't recognize the peril at once, that I didn't. It was what caused the wound Miss Megumi so kindly treated," he didn't know how he could still be talking to the enraptured members of the group while his thoughts were so preoccupied with what had happened two days before, but he didn't stop in his narrative for too long as no one had shaken him to wake him from his absentmindedness yet.

*~*

"You need to resort to _this_?" Leaning on his _katana_ to catch his breath, his muscles burning in agony, weakness claiming him, but still the sense of superiority associated with the instincts developed so long ago stayed with him. He calmed himself, control now fully established, emotions in check, his mind not a battlefield anymore. He watched Jinei complete his technique. A mistake, as became clear the second later when his attack tore into his shoulder, new pain, blood making the grip of his katana slippery, coppery stench in the air, control slipping again like the sword threatening to escape his grasp. Clinging to both of them he evaded another attack. 

"Kch!" 

"Not so tough anymore, are you, Himura?" Jinei pressing forward aggressively, the assassins feet dancing the lethal dance of the experienced swordsman as his _katana_ whirled closer. 

First time his name was spoken, making him realize he had to finish this fight soon as he warded off Jinei's sword with minimal movements of his own. The ringing sound of steel meeting steel painful to his sensitized ears he nonetheless encouraged it every time he met one of Jinei's attacks with a counter of his own. 

"I will now end this, that I will." Voice rough, raw, wavering. Too much energy used already, weakness in the knees, grip on reality slipping with the blood pumping out from the shoulder wound. Coiling his muscles for the technique that would bring certain victory he ignored the warning signals his body sent at him.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ryukansen- Arashi!"

Spinning at the opponent with godlike speed, flying just over the ground, a fleeting, intangible blur to the eyes. 

*~*

"My first counter was useless, that it was… I had to think of something else." Kenshin's eyes darkened as he spoke. "It was something I had hoped not to have to use." A flash of lightning highlighted his face as he looked up to the ceiling, thinking of what to say next while his mind relentlessly assaulted him with images.

*~*

"No good!" Jinei was laughing at him again, throwing his sword into the path of his flight, forcing him to twist out of the way, his shoulder ripping open wider. His heart now thumping frantically against his ribs, the pain overwhelmingly strong, Jinei virtually untouched he had had but one option.

But you'll kill him! The voice whispering in his brain, the little voice of caution he was relying on.

Not if I aim carefully. 

Sliding on the floor, automatically dropping into a familiar stance, feet apart, hunched low, ready to spring into action. One hand around the _saya_ , the other hovering above the grip of his _katana_. Concentration mounting, calculating the one moment in which to attack.

"Battoujutsu?" Startled fear in Jinei's voice. "Who are you?"

Not waiting for an answer pressing the attack, closing the distance between himself and the opponent in a matter of seconds. 

"I can evade your blade, Himura. And then you'll be dead!" Jinei's scream reaching his ears just as his opponent ducked underneath his strike, bringing his sword up to slice into him. He didn't notice the second step of his attack.

*~*

"I shattered Jinei's elbow with the second step of my technique. He was beaten." Kenshin slid his hand through his bangs, his exhaustion by now too great to be hidden and evident in the soft whispering his voice had become. The rain beating down on the roof of the shelter and the drops of rainwater dripping from the holes in that same roof almost overpowered his narrative.

*~*

"You… have won. Now kill me!"

"I will not kill anymore, that I won't." 

"You'll sentence me to life like this?"

"Perhaps you'll be more considerate towards those you suppress, that you will." He had tasted blood at that, too weak to suppress the hacking coughs taking control of his body.

"Then watch, Himura!" 

He had not been able to hinder Jinei plunging the short dagger he had carried in his uniform's belt into his own heart. 

"I… want to… take… your name… with me to… my grave." The gurgling sounds Jinei emitted were horrible to hear. "Tell me… who… you are, Himura. You're… him, aren't you? You're… Battousai."

He had not answered.

*~*

"He killed himself then… asking me my name as he died. Before the fight, he had signed an order I was to be released that day if I were alive, that he had. So, they transported me off to the Hospital, that they did." Kenshin fell silent. The wind howled as if to fill the silence left behind by the absence of his voice.

"Bastard." Sanosuke muttered lamely. Yahiko sat wide-eyed and fascinated. 

"You're cool!" he finally exclaimed, earning him a bonk on the head from Kaoru.

"There's nothing cool about being forced to fight a madman for his life!" She seethed. 

"But-"

"Miss Kaoru is right, that she is. It was not cool to fight, that it wasn't." Kenshin's quiet voice pitted in to silence the boy. Yahiko looked disappointed and seemed to want to retort, but a look from Kenshin kept his tongue in check.

"But, why did he ask your name?" Kaoru inquired.

"He… had a suspicion who I was, that he had."

"Don't try to evade my question. Answer!" Kaoru's voice was loud enough to attract attention. Kenshin sighed. 

After all, I have made up my mind, he reminded himself.

"He thought I was an agent, that he did. An agent who went by the name of Battousai." His voice was barely a whisper. 

"Are you?"

"Ask… Miss Megumi, that you should." 

All heads turned towards Megumi, who had sat in silence since Kenshin had started speaking.

"Yes, he is an agent. As am I. I think he was sent to retrieve me. I don't know if he's the one they call Battousai, though."

"What is so special about that 'Battousai'?" Yahiko asked curiously. He had been in the Camp for so long he didn't know much of the outside world.

"If what is rumored is true he is the best the Agency has got. A silent assassin of the night, the one agent who completes every mission successfully. None of his targets ever escaped him. He is fastest and most efficient in his kills. And it is said he uses a sword to fight." Kaoru answered.

The group just stared at her, mouths agape.

"Oro?!?"

"Where did you get that information from, Missy?"

"How do you know all that, Kaoru?"

"Oy, _Busu_, who told you that?"

Kaoru held up her hands defensively. "I… I guess I should tell you. My father not only owned a renowned dojo, he was also a leader of the Resistance Movement against the Regime. Nobody knew for certain, but the suspicion was there which is why I am here now. Anyways, he collected all sorts of information, including that on agents from other countries. The agent called Battousai sparked his interest because of an incident in Paris my father heard about, and he collected every shred of knowledge about him. He didn't get to know how he looked, though. That's how I know." She lowered her eyes to the floor, nervously kneading her hands before brushing them across her eyes in a fleeting movement. 

"Your father was a very good man, that he was."

Again people had problems shutting their mouths as they turned to Kenshin.

"You knew him?"

"If his name was indeed Kamiya I knew him, that I did," the agent replied, capturing Kaoru's sad eyes with swirling violet ones. For a moment the world outside those blue orbs brimming with tears ceased to exist, and he had to forcibly withdraw himself from their depths.

"Oy, Kenshin, are you that 'Battousai' guy or not? And what does it mean you came to 'retrieve' Miss Megumi?" Sano interrupted, aiding Kenshin in escaping the spell, however reluctant he was to do so.

"My name is Himura Kenshin, that it is. The Agency gave me the codename 'Battousai', however, that it did… it was the name for the secret assassin, that it was. I am no longer that assassin. So, I am not, as you put it, that 'Battousai' guy, that I am not." He was so very tired- but what was coming now was perhaps the most crucial point in his whole mission.

"I was sent to 'retrieve' Miss Megumi, that I was. This means we are going to escape from the Camp, that we are." He held his breath. If they were Regime people sent to sniff him out they had succeeded. If they decided to rat him out to the guards now was the time to do so. Nobody would question three people accusing him of being a spy. Torture and death were certain. If they wanted to negotiate for their own freedom in exchange for one of the most valuable foreign agents this was their chance. He would hold no grudge against them, that he would not. However… he had built his hopes on that they were free spirits in a cage who would want to help him. Patiently, he closed his eyes and awaited the verdict of fate.

"You better not go escaping without me," Sano drawled.

"I'm going with you." Yahiko said energetically. 

"You- you're _him_. You're the one my father always talked about. I… I want to come with you." Kaoru was suddenly aware of how close she was to Kenshin. 

Looking up, he met the gaze of every single member of the group. Lightning flickered and thunder crashed, but his response was still audible to all of them.

"It will not be easy, that it won't. We'll run a high risk of being caught. I will not force you to come with me, that I won't. But if you decide you want to join me… I am thankful, that I am. And I will protect you as good as I can, that I will."

"Didn't you listen? I said I'd not let you go without me. Sagara Sanosuke's been holed up in here long enough!"

"You are here to get me. The risks you have taken… I can't believe I'm worth that much to the Agency. I am indebted to you, and I will help you plan this if I can. I trust you, Ken-san. You'll get me out of here and back home so I can become a doctor. I will follow you."

"You're really weird… but you're cool, and I bet you're a great fighter! I won't be left behind," Yahiko said forcefully.

Kenshin smiled at all of them. They were the bravest group of people he had met in a long time. He would not fail them, and he would not fail… His gaze turned to the last member of the group, the only one who hadn't answered yet. 

Crystal tears dropped from her eyes onto his bare shoulders as she simply sat snuggled up against him. Her face was a mixture of fear and joy, not a shadow of doubt clouding her lovely features. 

"I… can't believe it. I… I…" she couldn't speak anymore. Instead, she briefly hugged him before withdrawing, blushing furiously. 

Kenshin hissed when she touched his right shoulder, but his smile never wavered. "Thank you, Miss Kaoru."

His gaze sharpened, small amber flecks appearing in the depths of his eyes.

"Now, we must plan, that we must."

"Sure as hell we must!" Sano slammed his fist into the floor excitedly, the noise thankfully muffled by the roar of thunder outside. "After all, we're the first group to escape from here!"

"Oro!?!"

"We're a group?" Megumi sounded amused.

"Yeah. We're the…" he trailed off.

"We're the Kenshin-gumi!" Yahiko joined in the game, "and we're the coolest group on the planet!"

"Oro?"

"The Kenshin-gumi… sounds good," Kaoru said with a smile in her eyes and hugged the startled eponym of their little group who didn't seem able to catch the latest developments which were happening too suddenly.

"Orororoooooo…"

"Kenshin! Don't die!"

"That… I… won't. And now… we should plan, that we should."

The group huddled close once again, protected by the storm, leaning on each other and feeling- for the first time in a very long time- real hope.

To be continued… 

*grins* No cliffhanger at all this time! The chapter is even longer than the last… how the hell does this happen? Well, I already announced I have something important to say at the beginning of the story, so I better get to it…

_Since Summer Science School and my internship are both starting next week I am afraid I will not be able to keep this pace of updating every three to four days… I'll have to switch to once a week, hope you can forgive me for that. I promise in turn to keep the chapters nice and long as they are now. Please, don't be angry with me *puppy dog eyes*- I'm a busy little soon-to-be graduate!_

_That said I can move on to more exciting topics (at least for me!)- you REVIEWS *happily dances around in her room re-reading all of them*!!! It was a hard fight against myself until I got enough courage to put one of my stories online- I'm very shy and self-conscious when it comes to writing, and your kind words really boast my ego!_

**_Chris_**_: Thanks for reviewing again! Sorry I couldn't do review answers in the last chapter!!! THANKS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!_

**_Koe760_**_: Umm… let's just say this is not the end of the road for my dear Kenshin-kun… *grins evilly* Even though I don't really like him suffering he somehow always ends up doing so… I will write as fast as possible in the future as well!_

**_Natsuko152_**_: *grins* I love having a challenge… and it is words like yours that inspire me to do to the best of my abilities. I love you- thanks!!!_

**_Lebleuphenix_**_: Fight scenes are not one of my fortes… I hope it was OK, though, took me loooong to write! Jinei was a surprise to myself- but I thought I simply had to have the madman here *grins*if only to kill him! He's dead, so no more interference from him! Ugh, I feel so bad for having to slow down the pace of updating if all of you are giving me so much encouragement and support- guess I'll just cut down on sleeping if this continues! THANKS!!!_

**_De Wardes_**_: Even though I always try my best I'm just hopeless at mush… romance is hard enough^^! I am not planning to include any abduction so it's safe to read on :))) Thanks for your review!!!_

**_Fflur_**_: Wow, your name's interesting… where did you come up with it? Hope to keep your interest peaked! Thank you!!!_

**_Tigerlilly_**_: Wow, thank you! You make me feel a lot more confident. As to your question: A certain icy character might make an appearance in the next chapter of two… Misao will come in as well but not for a while yet, sorry. I would not have put the three couples into my summary otherwise *grins*. This story is far from over!_

_I also have discovered that I'm on the Favorites List of two people! I almost fainted for joy. Now my ego's big enough to be stroked, and it has spurted a muse, too. Hello, Muse Yasai!_

_Yasai: Hi!_

_She'll assist me from now on she said… so expect her to be around in the next chapter._

_Yasai: *slinks off to haunt Chibi's laptop*_

_Thank you all! I LOVE YOU!!! *somersaults* _

_Yasai: *returns having forgotten something* Please leave Chibi a review again! They are my food!_

_Yes! Please, don't starve my new muse!!! Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	6. Chapter 5 Icy reminders of the past

_Ciao!!!_

_I can't believe I'm writing this… I want to finish this chapter until Sunday… luckily my beta's available at present *grins*_

_Summer Science School is great! I love it! Even though I had to finish a report on the properties of the hemoglobin molecule today…_

Yasai_: You've just been lazy during the week, which is why you're in a hurry today… _

_What does a muse know about science or translating briefs?_

Yasai:_ Nothing! *whistles cheerfully*_

_A great help you are, muse!_

Yasai: _Why? I'm doing what is in my job description. Helping you write this story. And you'd better hurry if you want to update on Sunday… so go write!_

Uh! Yes, Ma'am! 

Yasai: _ Enjoy the story, dear readers!!! *whistles as she chains Chibi to her laptop*Write, authoress, write!_

_Yes, Ma'am! Enjoy reading! *is dragged off to writing boot camp since she really was lazy*_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 5 Icy reminders of the past 

Five people, sitting in a tight knot, whispering to each other while around them bleak dreariness cast its depressing shadows. Five voices, raised to meet the onslaught of a vicious storm tearing a barren country apart. Five threads of fate, knotted together to combat loss of hope and fight for freedom. Five hearts pulsing with the rhythm of life, having found others in unison with them.

These five, trusting in themselves and each other would dare what nobody had ever completed successfully: escape from the mind-bending, body-crushing, high-security environment of one of the Regime's work camps. It was a crazy venture at best, a death commando at worst, but for their freedom they were willing to risk everything.

Kenshin pulled himself together, ignoring the stiffness of his muscles and the aches in his body. Now was the time to implement the inklings of a plan he had formulated while still free. It was him on whom success or failure of the entire operation rested. He hoped what he had prepared would carry not only Agent Takani and himself but also the other three to safety.

Kaoru was carefully keeping at least a foot of free space between herself and Kenshin after she had accidentally crushed his injured ribs, poked into his shoulder wound and banged his head on the wall all in one hug. Her face was still reddened in embarrassment; she could hardly believe she was _that _clumsy. Normally, the inherent grace from years of sword practice made her a very dignified young lady- if she wasn't in a heated… argument, or with a very unsettling red-haired agent, that is.

"Well, Kenshin, what about that 'planning' stuff?" Sano inquired, a little too brash, a little too rude as always but right on top of the matter. In fact, the agent's silence had managed to have every member of the group fidgeting with varying intensity. Megumi shot Sano a dark look in return for his outbreak. Happily, he grinned back- as always when she recognized him. 

"Aa. I'm sorry, I mean 'yes', that I do," Kenshin stuttered, pulled from his own dark thoughts. "I meant to share some information with you, that I did." He lowered his head until his face was obscured by the shadows. 

"Then quit stalling!" Even Kaoru was getting impatient.

"Well… I originally intended for only two people to slip through the security perimeter- that's why I only cut a very small slit into one of the electric fences surrounding the Camp. And… the food I hid will not be enough to last all of us on our journey through Regime territory. Also, there's the problem I only buried one weapon… my weapon, I didn't think Agent Takani would be in the condition to fight… and then there's only two cloaks…"

"W…W …  Wait a minute! You're saying you have all this stuff _right here_?" Kaoru had a very hard time keeping her voice down, thankfully another roaring thunder crashed into the eardrums of every person in the vicinity making her less audible.

"Uh… not right here, no. I have buried it outside, near the mine, that I have."

"Oh."

Kenshin felt comfortable in the silence that befell the group. He had to sort out his racing thoughts, had to find the solution to the calculations his mind made, how to make the food last, how to structure the group to cover their escape, which timing to use and when to make the first move.

"You know, Kenshin, I could help." Kaoru spoke up timidly.

"Oro? Help?"

"I am trained in the art of _kendo_- and I am used to a _bokken_. That means we only have to find a fairly straight branch on one of those bushes growing out there and I'll have a weapon with which I can defend myself in skirmishes and hand-to-hand combat!" Her blue eyes sparkled with energy and the desire to help; she seemed more confident and somehow- bigger than just a minute before.

Kenshin smiled at her. This girl was even more spirited than he had thought. Her being versed in _kendo_ would sure make a difference, but it was not enough… sadly, straight sticks or even wooden swords were of no use against the guns they would be up to- but if they were pursued and any of their pursuers were to come close she would be…. 

I don't like this! part of his thoughts intervened, I don't want to put any of them in danger! He frowned in deep thought. We will have to be far away from here before they notice- but if they do, then… I have no choice. I have to trust the abilities of Kaoru… she seems confident enough. Although I still don't like it!

"That's great, Miss Kaoru, that it is," he said out loud. "Miss Megumi has also undergone basic hand-to-hand combat training, that she has, and if you could teach little Yahiko here-"

"I'm _not little_! And there's no way I'd learn anything from _busu_ here!" he was interrupted. 

Kenshin sighed. "I'm sorry for calling you little, that I am. But Miss Kaoru is obviously the best choice for a teacher since you're near her during daytime."

"Kenshin's right, kid," Sano gave his two cents, "and besides, you wouldn't wanna be the only one who doesn't know a thing about self-defence, right?" Expectantly he slammed his fist into the palm of his other hand. "I for one can't wait to beat some of those bastards up!"

"Oro?"

"Didn't I tell ya I was a fighter before they put me in here? Pretty much everyone feared the Great Zanza!"

"Oro!"

"Oh, so that's why your manners are lacking and your brain seems to have evaporated!" Megumi exclaimed, and in the flash of lightning that conveniently chose to light up the shelter that instance Sano could have sworn she had sprouted those fox-ears again, "all those beatings your head took just _had_ to affect it!"

"Oy, Foxy, careful or I'll show ya just what my brain's capable of thinking of!"

"Should I be afraid of an idle threat?" Megumi thoughtfully tapped a slender finger, the nail on top of which was only slightly chipped, against her chin.

"I'd-"

"Maa, maa, let's all calm down again!" Kenshin interrupted trying to keep his composure. That Sano was a fighter didn't come as a surprise, and with his strength he would be someone he could trust to fight at his side. 

"Now that we've found out everyone can at least hold their own in close combat we'll have to solve the food problem and-"

"I was a pickpocket." Yahiko said.

"Oro?"

"I can pick pockets. I'll be able to steal food. Not in the Camp, though. I can't break through the ring of guards they have around the supply sheds. But once we're outside- I can help!" He was obviously proud of his abilities.

Kenshin smiled. "I'm sure you are really good, that I am- but I don't want to hurt the poor people living under the Regime's terror. We need to find some other way…"

"Then we only take food from those fat, rich officials! You know, those who suck the population dry!" Kaoru exclaimed, getting into a Robin Hood mood. Kenshin contemplated this. He didn't like stealing; even though he had been in tight spots in his life as an agent, half-starved and more than ready to drop dead he had never taken a single thing that wasn't his or his employers'. But since it wasn't only him this time… 

"I guess I can live with that, that I can," he consented. 

"Weapons, food, a way out of the Camp… that leaves first aid supplies, a plan of how to cross Regime territory and the time of our escape," Megumi coolly recapitulated. 

Kenshin nodded approvingly. "First aid supplies… I have got a small store of those, too, that I have. It should be enough, since if we do this right no one should be injured, that we shouldn't. Unfortunately, neither the Agency nor our partners have any reliable map of Regime territory- we'll either have to steal one from the Camp leader's office- or we'll have to rely on my memory, that we have." 

"That's bad." Sano said. 

"I think Kenshin will find his way back- after all, he has found his way here!" Kaoru spread some optimism around.

"But you forget I had time then, that I had, and when we're on the run we should choose the quickest road, that we should." 

"Don't be a pessimist! You'll do great, buddy!" The slap on his shoulder sent Kenshin flying into the wall next to him, leaving him dazed and disoriented as he fought down the urge to vomit resulting from the agony spreading  from his ribs outward through his body. 

"Oro…" he managed weakly. He couldn't move just now, needed a second to collect himself….

"Sanosuke! What are you thinking! Ken-san is injured, you know!" Megumi screeched and poor Sano's head was the target of two furious females' beat attack once more.

"He… I… I'm okay, that I am," Kenshin wheezed in defence of Sano, who looked positively beat up, "please, we need Sano, that we do!"

"Who needs a stupid rooster head like him?" Yahiko joined in the Sano- bashing.

"Oy, kid, watch your tongue!" 

Kenshin decided to just rest and let them resolve their issues themselves, watching their little fight with a smile on his face. They had so much youthful energy… he felt like he was a million years older and not the few he actually had on them.

It took them actually a few minutes to realize that he wasn't saying anything anymore. But when they did, their squabbles died down immediately.

"Kenshin?" Was the universal enquiry. 

"I was thinking about the time, that I was," he said in a tired voice. Just staying awake was becoming a huge task, since the days before he had not gotten much sleep and the constant pain his body was in was sapping his strength.

"I think we're going as soon as possible!" Sano spoke up, "I don't wanna be cooped up here any longer!"

"I think we should wait at least till Yahiko knows a few moves." Kaoru intervened.

"And _I_ think it would be unwise to attempt an escape while there are four strange Regime people still in the Camp and security is tighter than a net," Megumi reminded them all.

"Miss Megumi is right- I have a bad feeling when it comes to those riders, that I do- Jinei was just the beginning, that he was. They will leave soon, that they will, and we can wait until then…" 

"And Ken-san needs to recover. He will have to lay low for a week or two- after all, he _is_ our ticket to freedom." 

"So we'll wait two weeks and then we'll leave, that we will," Kenshin concluded the conversation, listening to the far-off rumble of the thunder and the soft splattering of the rain on the shelter's roof. His thoughts were drifting in and out of the present already, the flickering torchlight not helping him in trying to stay conscious. 

"OK. That's OK with me," Sano said.

"Nobody asked for your opinion, rooster-head. That was a decision!" 

"That's why I said it was OK!"

"As if anybody would care!"

"Oy, _Busu_, you think you can teach me in two weeks?"

"I'll show you what I can teach you, my dear _little_ Yahiko!"

"I'm not…"

Their voices drifted farther and farther away, just like the thunderstorm which was in its death throes over their heads, gradually changing back into the ever-present normal bad weather. No guard had been spotted yet, and Kenshin decided that for the moment he wasn't required to be on guard. Giving in to his body's demandsd he drifted off into a light slumber, head hunched low against his chest, back leaned comfortably against the wall, the bickering of the _Kenshin-gumi_- What an idiot name!- lulling him to sleep.

*~*

The devastating effects of the thunderstorm were seen the next day when all survivors were brought back to the Camp. The mine had collapsed before the workers could be evacuated, at least fifty of them were buried underneath the raw mud cascading down what was once a steep-cut wall. Of those in the field, only half were still alive, many had been blown away by gale-force winds, others slain by the heavy troughs hurled around by the storm. Many had become lost without a trace, and hope that they had survived was little to none. The desolate place that was the camp looked even more run-down now, the roofs of most of the buildings missing, one or two charred and smoking as they had been hit by lightning. Even the guards' quarters had not been spared, the shingles of it gone, part of it burned down since the fire from a nearby storage barrack had spread.

The cries of the injured cut through the air and into the hearts of the bedraggled group that had survived virtually unscathed in the shelter. Only now could they grasp how lucky they had been. Faces grim, Sano and Kenshin stood and surveyed the damage.

"Looks like there's not much left." Sano stated, watching the guards mill around and pull survivors from the wreckage. Nobody actually cared if the Camp inmates were talking right now, even the guards that had escorted them here had disappeared to help their injured.

"Which means we'll have to reconstruct everything, that we have," Kenshin said, his gaze sweeping across the rubble. "I only hope the area _the things_ are at hasn't been affected that heavily." 

"I hope so too, Kenshin- but what's Kaoru doing there?"

"I don't know… it seems she has found something to do, that she has," Kenshin replied, watching as the blue-eyed girl kneeled down on the street, picked up the body of what seemed to be a child and cradled it close to her. "Perhaps we should help, that we should."

Sano shrugged and walked down the street beside his friend. So much damage! he thought.__

"Oh… my God." Kaoru was mortified. In her arms she held a small girl of no more than ten years, her small body smudged with dirt, her right arm sticking out at an unnatural angle. 

"Her shoulder is dislocated." Megumi had come up behind her. "Hold her while I try to reposition it."

Kaoru looked at the med student in horror. "You want to _what_?" she nearly screeched.

"The hospitals are overflowing with seriously injured people. They won't be able to care for an injury like that for hours to come. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. What's your name?" she addressed the girl whose white face had become even whiter under the layer of dirt after hearing her words.

"Tsubame," she whispered in a small voice, "I'm Tsubame."

"All right, Tsubame. Your shoulder joint has jumped out of the pan that's normally holding it, and I have to put it back in. I want you to try and relax- I'll do it at the count of three." Megumi's voice was soothing and calm, controlled- just what the girl needed. However, Tsubame coiled deeply into Kaoru's lap and hid her face shyly. 

"It's not bad. It hurt for a moment real bad, but now it's not hurting even though I can't move my arm. I don't want it to hurt again!" she said.

"Don't be such a baby! If she doesn't put it back in your arm will never move again!"

"YAHIKO!" Kaoru exclaimed. The boy had stepped up to them after noticing the small person in Kaoru's arms. 

"It will really never move again?" Tsubame asked with tears in her eyes.

"No, it won't. Unless you let Megumi help you."

"Yahiko is right, you know. Miss Megumi can help you, that she can."

"Kenshin!" Kaoru hadn't noticed him approach them, but there he was, Sano standing at his side, smiling down at the girl and Kaoru with gentle violet eyes.

"Miss Kaoru shouldn't worry that much. Miss Megumi is very skilled, that she is. I am sure she will help that little one, that she will!"

"Okay." Tsubame whispered and peeked out from her hiding place in Kaoru's lap.

"Sanosuke, you're stronger. You hold her. Tsubame, please sit on Sano's lap for a moment. You can go right back to Kaoru afterwards," Megumi smiled. 

Tsubame stood up shakily. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"you don't have to be scared, little one, that you haven't," Kenshin reassured her, "Miss Kaoru, Yahiko and I will be right beside you."

"Then, on the count of three," Megumi said, shooting a quick glance to Kenshin who nodded understandlingly. "One… two…"

Tsubame screamed as a crack echoed through the street. Kenshin flinched and turned a little pale as though reliving unpleasant memories, Kaoru paled and clung tightly to Sano, Yahiko yelled in surprise and angrily lurched forward but was stopped by Kenshin who put a hand onto his shoulder. 

"Don't," he simply said, "you should rather look for something that will serve as a bandage, that you should." The boy scowled, but ran off and shortly after returned with his prize.

Sano held the sobbing girl in his arms while Megumi quickly ripped a sheet that Yahiko had found entangled in a nearby mass of splintered planks and boards. 

"Shh, it's over… don't cry…. Everything's all right now…" Kaoru took the girl from Sano and comforted her while Megumi wrapped a bandage around her shoulder and rested her arm in a makeshift sling. 

"All better," she said proudly admiring her handiwork.

"That was mean, Megumi. You said on three!" Yahiko glared and stood protectingly in front of the little girl in Kaoru's arms. 

"If Miss Megumi had waited until three little Tsubame would have tensed and made it all much more painful, that she would," Kenshin explained, sorrow in his deep violet eyes. He knew too well how painful repositioning a dislocated joint was. Yahiko scowled again, but seemed to accept Kenshin's explanation and turned around without a word.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru looked at him in surprise, "you're really good with children. Haven't you ever considered to become a kindergartner?"  

"Oro?" To hide the blush that threatened to creep up his cheeks the agent quickly turned to Sano. "We should check if there is anyone buried underneath the rubble, that we should," he said, his voice a little higher than usual. "Miss Kaoru, Yahiko and Miss Megumi can help the not-so severely injured. We could make this place-" he motioned towards a barrack that was still mostly intact and only missing parts of its roof and a wall, "- into a hospital for them, that we could."

"That is an excellent idea. Ken-san," Megumi said getting up from where she had been kneeling and brushing the dirt from her clothes, "tell all those who are injured but can still walk to come there, and bring those who can't."

"Will do, Foxy." Sano mock-saluted. 

For once there was no difference between the guards and the 'workers' as all members of both groups still able to move dug through collapsed buildings, masses of uprooted bushes and miniature trees that had had such a hard time growing in the rough tundra and were now never to reach their full height.

Sano growled as he lifted yet another beam from the collapsed heap that had once been the dining hall. His muscles straining he carried the heavy load over to the side of the road where other workers were busy constructing makeshift sheds to spend the night in. The impromptu hospital for the lightly injured had gotten more hands to help as well, and whenever a worker or a guard injured themselves while trying to dig out survivors or to clear away the mess left by the storm the women and children under Megumi's able guidance were there to help. 

A groan sounding from the wreckage made Sano toss the beam he was carrying aside as though it were a mere toothpick.

"There's someone down there!" he cried, three of the other workers rushing to his side to help him.

"Oy, Kenshin, we found another one! Kenshin? Oy, Kenshin, where are you?"

Kenshin heard Sano's cry, but he was already heading for the far side of the building. Despite Megumi's warnings, Kaoru's protests and Sano's threats to beat him up should he dare to the agent had pushed his physical discomfort aside to help those weaker than he was. He could, after all, still move, and part of the Agency's declared goal was to rescue those oppressed. Who was he to go against his oath? A soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips he wiped the sweat from his brow that had formed there in spite of the freezing temperatures, not caring that he had smudged dirt all across his face. He had heard the signs of life from the collapsed dining hall even before Sano had, and his sharp senses were able to distinguish that not only one, but a total of six persons was still alive under the jumbled mass of beams, splintered shelves and mud. 

Finding an opening wasn't easy, but he knew those caught in the rubble needed fresh air, and soon, since they were trapped in a small enclosure that allowed for almost no circulation of essential oxygen. His hands digging frantically around in the soft earth that slid back into place every time he had scooped it off he searched for the one key element, the one beam holding the structure together. If he were to collapse it he would be able to open a passage. Ribs on fire, breath coming in short, heaving gasps, his left shoulder a nightmare of stinging pain and twinges of sharp agony when he tried to use certain muscles Kenshin finally got hold of a shelf he thought suitable for what he intended. Quickly throwing glances around a checking the perimeter to ascertain there was no one near he used all of his strength and all the leverage his slight body could give.

Do Ryu Sen! 

A shower of mud hit the ones working on the other side of the building as Kenshin performed what was one of his fighting techniques. As a result on his side, a deep trough opened in the rubble, shelves and beams splintered after being hit by sharp flying stones and parts of other shelves, and a small opening leading to the survivors appeared.

Kenshin, however, almost dropped to the ground. Hunched over the broken remains of the plank he had used to perform the life-saving operation he was dimly aware of a presence approaching him. He did, however, after a few seconds catch the presence's less than friendly intentions and struggled to analgize the pain and stand upright. Violet eyes narrowed in concentration he looked up to meet the icy blue eyes of a person he had not in the least expected to meet.

The twins' names were Tae and Sae. They had been frantically searching for Tsubame when Kaoru encountered them, calling her name and running around like a pair of scared chicken. After having been taken to Megumi, who treated an ugly cut on Sae's forehead with the supplies the main hospital had sent over once they had gotten wind of Megumi's operation the twins were quick to help bandaging cuts and sprained joints, disinfecting wounds and pulling splinters from the hands of workers and guards alike. Tsubame's well-being was a source of constant worry for the two women, because, as Kaoru found out, they had taken the orphaned girl under their wings and protected her to the best of their abilities.  That she had been injured caused both of them a great deal of discomfort, and not even seeing their protégé under the protection of Yahiko and ably treated by Megumi could alleviate their suffering. Talking on the other hand could, and thus Kaoru soon knew not only that they had once been running a successful chain of restaurants throughout Regime territory and had committed the crime of relaying messages for the Resistance Movement, but also that they had been working in the Camp's kitchen, preparing the meals for the guards and the Camp leader, his chief of security and the Regime overseer in charge of Camp Freedom. Tsubame had been working with them, and they had quickly taken a liking to the soft-spoken, crying girl who was all alone in the world. Why a girl like her had ended up in the Camp was a mystery to them, but they had adopted her as their daughter, and cared for her accordingly.

When Kaoru had suggested they ask whether a meal for all those working at damage control could be prepared they were quick to jump onto her train of thought, and soon an odor more delicious than what the workers had smelled in a long time wafted from the makeshift kitchen on the Camp's central place.

"And thus everyone does what he does best," Kaoru said to herself, "I wonder what Kenshin's doing- he shouldn't be doing too much, Megumi said…."

"Nice move, Himura."

Kenshin didn't flinch. Violet eyes lightening with a tinge of amber he met the unspoken challenge in the other's glare. "I like to see you appreciated it, Shinomori Aoshi, that I do."

"You're still as dense as ever, Battousai. I didn't expect you to pull a stunt like this, especially not after what happened in Paris."

Kenshin glared with renewed venom. "Paris isn't of your concern," he spat, forgetting about his politeness for a moment.

"You say it isn't? I beg to differ, Battousai. You only lost one person in Paris, whereas I lost my life. You were the one to destroy it, and in return you were deemed a hero and given honors you didn't deserve. I have to reclaim what is rightfully ours, which is why I followed you here. However, I decided to go with… a little more style."

"You can have all the honors you want, Aoshi, Commander of the independent spy group Oniwabanshu. I didn't care about them then and I do not care about them now, that I don't. You say you lost your life in Paris- well, so did I when she died, that I did. I didn't kill your men, that I didn't, it was their decision to stay behind. Her decision was made without me as well, that it was."

"You can say what you want, Battousai, it doesn't change the fact they died because of you and your partner and our cooperation with the Agency. You took the credit for their sacricfice, and I'm not going to let that slip. Until you have been defeated and the Oniwabanshu been credited for the biggest blow the Regime has suffered in recent years I will not stand down!"

"What will you do, Aoshi? Will you tell everyone who I am, just as you sold secrets to get into a trusted position with the Regime, that you did? You are not the man I worked with, that you aren't! I am not afraid of what you will do to me, that I am not. I would gladly hand over any honors and medals I was given to you, that I would, if it would bring her back to me."

"You've become a sentimental fool, Battousai. All the more reason to once and for all make an example of you that the Oniwabanshu are the most capable and strongest, even in death!"

Kenshin stared into the icy blue eyes that wanted to bare his very soul. In them, he could catch a wisp of the agony that lived within himself, the agony that permeated his dreams… the past he wanted t erase, the past he wanted to return to…

"Tomoe… I am sorry," he whispered, staring into space behind the livid man wanting revenge for his companions who had died for what was deemed a 'good cause' by the world. "If only I had been faster…"

But he knew that even if he had been faster there was no guarantee the fiasco that the mission had become by then would have turned out any different.

"They were the strongest, that they were. They died protecting you and Tomoe, and they defeated impossible odds, that they did." Kenshin said quietly. 

"I once and for all say that doesn't matter. What matters is that it was because of you, Battousai, that we even got into that situation. Because of you and your trust in that traitor woman my men had to die."

"It wasn't because of me…" he murmured, the cutting tundra gale suddenly softened by a whisper of white plum scent in the air.

*~*

Her blood was falling freely to the ground below, the ground covered in dirty snow that only in patches had preserved its original white color. His own blood, flowing from numerous wounds all over his body, was mingling with hers as he cradled her close to him. Around them, the corpses of their friends lay stiff and still, only one of them still breathing, the others as dead and cold as the sculpture of the angel with the broken wings under the snow.

"Don't… cry, my darling!" Her voice was carried to his ears bleeding from an ultrasonic grenade launched earlier on the scent of white plums, "it was… because of… you that… that I knew what… freedom is. I… am… grateful… and… I'll… always… love you… Ken… shin…"

Her eyes fluttered shut on her pale white cheeks, their beautiful brown luster forever lost to the world. He kissed her, called her, dark red blood from the cut she had inadvertently opened on his cheek when killing the Regime soldier sneaking up behind him with her throwing knife, the random burst from his gun hitting nothing but thin air until it met her body… even his tears didn't wake her, her heart, the heart that held his love, his life, still forever and ever.

He was alone in a world of the dead, and only the little angel whose wings were lost in time heard his desperate cry…

*~* 

As quickly as it had come the scent died down, leaving two men standing in a destroyed building, both caught up in images drawn from their memories.

"Hyottoko… Beshimi… Shikijou… Hannya…" Aoshi murmured silently. 

Kenshin was the first to break the past's grip on him. Painfully pulling himself up to his full height he looked Aoshi into the eyes once more.

"The Oniwabanshu were in a different part of the town, that they were. I didn't have anything to do with their deaths, that I didn't!"

"That's where you're wrong. You were to meet us. You didn't come. My men stayed longer than they should have. We were ambushed by the weapons dealer of whom we had thought that he was on our side. I…"

"I came. Your men had won against the private army that was amassed against them by Takeda Kanryu, that they had. I couldn't find a trace of them, or of you, that I couldn't. I was severely injured myself, so it took all my strength to get back to the rendezvous point, that it did." 

"And you really want to believe that, don't you, Battousai? You're known as the best- it's time for that to change. Prepare yourself." If possible Aoshi's voice had gotten even colder as the taller man pulled a long sheath from underneath his cloak. "This chaos is perfect for that!"

Blue eyes bore down on Kenshin, void of any emotion but hatred and a desire he could neither fathom nor understand, icy reminders of the past… he drew in a deep breath and prepared himself to meet them.

To be continued… 

Yay! I finished in time! 

Yasai: _Well, whatever you want to think…_

_Hey, it's not yet Monday in the US!_

Yasai: _But it's 2am here in Germany, and technically that's Monday!_

 _I'm NOT arguing with you on that matter now, dearest muse. I want to think about nicer things!_

Yasai: _Like…?_

_Like my reviews! Thanks guys! You're the best!_

TK:_ Sorry I confused you… _

Moomoo: _I'm planning on it to be canon couples… I don't really write alternative, sorry if this is a deterrent… hope you'll read on!_

Lebleuphenix: _ I am sooo glad you noticed I was trying to somehow incorporate the manga storyline into my universe *grins* Actually, I wish I had more time so I could write more… it's relaxing to do so! But Summer Science School wants a report written tomorrow *sighs*- just when I wanted to get started on Chapter 6!_

Natsuko3: _I guess you've got a lot on your hands as well, right? I love writing… and I love Summer Science School! My internship is going great as well- my boss keeps me around as an interpreter *grins*. Wow- I'm on your fav list? *blushes* I guess Yasai is being fed too well…_

Yasai: _I'm always hungry!_

Quiet, muse. I'm talking to my reviewers here! Cyber Double Chocolate Chip Cookies ™ to all of you! 'til next time!

Deseray, jayekin: *jumps around* Thank you!!!

Yasai: _Go to bed, Chibi. You have to get up at 6am since your boss wants you to be at that meeting to translate!_

_Yes, muse, Ma'am! Guess you're right. I'm going to sleep. Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	7. Chapter 6 Within

_Hi! I'm Ryan- or Ry, if you prefer. I'm Chibi's twin, and she has asked me to upload this chapter for you all. She is very grate full you are reading her story, and… well, just read her little letter right here. I don't know much about this activity of hers, so I just say bye, and enjoy whatever my little sister has concocted in that brain of hers!_

_Ciao!!!_

_Uh… what can I say, I'm truly sorry this has taken so long. Just let me give you one little piece of advice: don't think you can take on your archenemy in a fencing tournament on three hours of sleep. It results in delayed reactions, bad reflexes, loss of balance and a broken ankle. I'm still in hospital since I had to get surgery, so I asked my twin Ry to upload this. I hope he gets the procedure right… _

_Anyways, on a more positive note: I may finally have my laptop with me, so I can write… and the next chapter is already halfway done. I still have to work for SSS (what? Did you think just being unable to attend the lectures would make me miss all the report fun?), and the law firm sends urgent requests per mail… so, I don't have all day for writing, but certainly considerably more time than before *grins*_

_Again, I apologize to all who have been waiting for this chapter to come out!!! I want to thank all reviewers (can't do review responses since I haven't got any means to connect to the internet), and I'm certain Yasai is being fed well… _

_And now… enjoy the story!!!_

_"…." Denotes talking___

_….. denotes thinking___

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place___

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 6 Within 

"Mou!" Kaoru exclaimed in frustration as the bandage she had tried to roll up for the umpteenth time decided it would rather stay unraveled. Megumi looked over to her, eyebrows raised in quizzical amusement as her hands deftly wrapped a long cut on a Camp guard's leg. 

"You know, if it bothers you so much just go and search for him!" the doctor told the impatient girl with a twinkle in her chocolate eyes. Kaoru scrunched her face into an expression of disapproval but dropped the bandage nonetheless and sauntered off to look for Sano and Kenshin- well, for her Kenshin came first, the agent who knew her father and had such a mysterious past intrigued her beyond reckoning. She wasn't sure what 'being the Battousai' meant, even though she had related the story to her friends, for to her they were just words, and that a person as gentle and caring as the Kenshin she had met would willingly harm others was something unthinkable in her world. Still- even she, in her own little way and by her own means had detected the deep sadness and flinty hardness that lay underneath the strange agent's smiling exterior. Perhaps it was this that made her believe him when he had admitted to having been a killer… not that she minded, she quickly added.

Light steps took her around the obstructions on the road, beams that had been pulled from destroyed buildings, or just piles of wreckage scattered by the still strong wind. Her black hair was flying freely around her face and into her eyes, somewhere in the course of running to help another patient and finding clean water she had to have lost the ribbon that bound it into its high ponytail. Her blue-eyed gaze surveyed the efforts made to return the Camp to a more habitable state, searching for the one person she wanted to be all right. Among the people milling seemingly aimlessly around he was not, neither was he in the group of men tugging at a particularly nasty heap of wreckage- although, wasn't that someone she knew? She blinked, undecidedly before she resumed her careful wandering.

Sano spotted her before she could wander too far into the wrong direction. His hands released the piece of the building's ceiling he had been holding up while he watched her. Kaoru was slowly making her way towards the building he and Kenshin had been working on, and she was obviously looking for them. He waved her over.

"Oy, Missy!" Kaoru's head snapped up and she quickly came to where Sano was holding some beams with one hand, the other rose to greet her. "Doesn't the fox need you with her anymore?"

Kaoru shook her head. "I am here to check on Kenshin," she said smiling brightly, "Megumi and I both are afraid he will overstrain himself." 

Sano grinned at her. "You really like the little one, Missy?" 

"Mou!" was the indignant answer as Kaoru barely restrained herself from bashing the tall man over the head. 

"Bet you wanna know where he is?" Sano teased. Kaoru just huffed.

"OK, I'm stopping. He's on the other side, just around the corner and-" 

A cry stopped their conversation.

Kenshin had dragged himself to his feet using the splintered plank he still had his hands on for support. Aoshi's silent glare followed his every movement, slightly creeping the agent with its intensity.

"Battousai. Why do you still hesitate to attack me?"

Kenshin stood still, panting with the effort of standing up only. One hand slowly wiped away the trace of blood that had formed in the corner of his mouth after Aoshi had punched him in the face. "I do not wish to fight, that I don't."

"Then meet your demise." Void of emotion Aoshi raised his weapons and rushed at the exhausted figure of Kenshin. The stroke of his sword was barely avoided, however, the price for Kenshin was high as he tumbled towards the ground once again, just barely catching himself on his left hand and grunting as the weight of his own body impacting on his injured shoulder reopened his wound. Not wasting a second Aoshi pressed the attack against his downed opponent, yet once again his _kodachi hit air only. _

"Why… do all of those who arrived yesterday fight… with swords?" Somehow, Kenshin found the strength to not only dodge Aoshi's next attack but to also speak while doing so.

"Why don't you fight back?" was his answer.

"I don't have a weapon, that I don't." Another near miss sliced the fabric of Kenshin's shirt on his right side. 

"Yet you persist. I can see the Agency really invests into training their own."

That it does- or at least Shishou did… I don't think every agent undergoes a training like I did, that I don't. Yet all the training in the world wasn't enough… nor will it ever be… there will always be those I fail to protect… I am truly not worthy of being called the 'best'… I am not worthy of being called anything but unworthy... Try as he might, even in the middle of a desperate fight Kenshin could not shake his fears, his doubts.

"You seem distracted, Battousai. Did you finally find I was right all along?" A slight pause in the attacks allowed the agent to catch his breath.  The way his lungs were burning it was a miracle he hadn't passed out yet from constant use of god-like speed. Shishou would have my hide for being so clumsy, he grimaced when his foot caught on a lose root.

"And you… still haven't answered my… question yet, Aoshi… that you haven't. Why… are there… swordfighters in the… Regime forces?" His erratic breath chopped his speech far more than he had thought, its hacking rhythm grating into his ears. 

No answer, only a changing in the pattern of his opponent's movements. It was getting harder to escape unscathed from Aoshi's attacks, even though some moves seemed slower they also started to blur together, like images on the tranquil surface of a pond shadowed by cherry trees.

"You are weak, Battousai. And because you are weak, you will die now. The others were wrong to think there was a worthy opponent hiding in one of the Camps. You have reached the end of your path. This is the true technique of the Oniwabanshu Okashira- Kaiten Kenbu, the dance of the sword. Movements flowing like water, so fluid you cannot tell one from the other." Aoshi's voice seemed to echo from all around Kenshin. Distraught, the agent closed his eyes, extending his sixth sense to find where Aoshi was at the moment, but strangely even the Okashira's _ki had adopted the flowing quality, enveloping him and smothering his senses._

"Kyaaahhhh!" he desperately screamed and whipped up the wooden plank he had held onto all this time. 

A blink of an eye later it was over. Kenshin lay on his back, a few feet from where he had been standing moments before, three gashes in his shirt slowly staining red. Aoshi calmly sheathed his _kodachi. "For being the strongest you sure were weak. The Regime was wrong to assume a danger in the agents trained in the old ways- they wouldn't have needed to build our special force. Go to hell, Battousai."_

"Kenshin!" a man's voice bellowed out. Aoshi slowly turned so he faced the new arrivals. 

"Oy! Who are you?" The man certainly was rude. Beside him, a flustered little girl buried her face in her hands in horror. Her indigo ribbon had come partially undone, leaving her hair flowing around her face in a beautiful wave of liquid dark strands as she ran to the side of the fallen agent.

Before she could reach him, however, he started to rise. Aoshi whipped around faster than ever before when he heard the soft moan escape from his rival's lips. The redheaded agent knelt on the ground for a second before getting up, his face strained but no obvious effort was exerted. 

"You're... wrong, Aoshi." His voice hadn't changed; it still was the harsh, chopped whisper of someone who is short of breath. "It is you... who is weak, that it is. You... are clinging to..." he couldn't finish his sentence as a coughing fit interrupted him, leaving him doubled over, one hand clutching his midriff, the other held out as if to steady himself. 

The girl, who had stopped in her tracks when Kenshin had suddenly started moving, hurried to his side, taking his hand and helping him to keep his balance. "Kenshin, you... idiot!" Was she crying?

"I'm... all right, that I am," his opponent smiled pulling his hand from hers and starting towards Aoshi.

"Stop, Battousai. Even though I can now see why you are called the 'best' there is- after all no one ever escaped this attack alive- I do not intend to leave any witnesses to our fight. Remove them, or I'll kill first you and then your friends."

"Oy! Watch it! You can't kill _me!" Sano exclaimed and smashed his fists together. Kenshin, however, stopped him with a pleading look from his delft blue eyes. _

"I won't... allow anyone to be hurt, that I won't. You... have me in your hands, Aoshi. If you... report to the... Camp authorities or to your fellow... swordsmen you'll... be able to kill me. But they... have nothing to do with our past, that they don't. Let them... go and I'll... continue fighting you. Or just... tell the Camp manager. He'll kill me for you, and nothing will stand between you and your title of 'best'."

"That would not be satisfactory," Aoshi countered icily, "I need to kill you with my own hands in order for my men's death to be avenged. I do not wish for unnecessary deaths. We will meet again- Battousai!"

"If you wish so, that will be." Kenshin stood, watching warily as the tall man with the ice-blue eyes left without once looking back.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru cautiously approached him again. She was a little shaken, confused and miffed at him for pushing her away, but overshadowing it all was a deep concern. Her small hand reached for him as though she was trying to coax him into relaxation. "Kenshin, what was this?"

Shining blue-violet eyes settled onto her face. "It was only an argument, that it was." His voice, though still more quiet even than usual, had lost its choppiness, his breathing calm and controlled again.

"Oy, what did you think getting into a fight without me?" Sano barely restrained himself from slapping the agent on his back. 

"Fight? What fight? There was no fight, that there wasn't..." Kenshin tried to say.

"No fight? Then why did that man talk about killing you, Sano and me? And why the hell do you have those bruises on your face? And why are you bleeding if there was no fight?" An angry Kaoru was a reasoning Kaoru, and a reasoning Kaoru meant trouble for redheaded agents caught red-handed. 

"Uh... well, it was a violent argument, that it was..." he drifted off, his eyes glazing over as the aftereffects from the fight took their toll on his body. 

"Violent argument, my ass," grumbled Sano but slung one of Kenshin's shaking arms over his shoulders. "You're going to sleep now, that you are," he mimicked his friend's speech patterns. 

"Wait!" Kenshin freed himself of Kaoru and Sano's grasp before they could even bat an eye, "there are still five people trapped underneath the rubble, that they are. I have opened a way for the air to get in to them, that I have, but I need to do one more thing before we can reach them, that I have." 

"Just tell me what to do, Kenshin." Sano said, blinking a little stupidly at the speed of Kenshin's movements. 

"I'm very sorry, Sano, but you cannot do this, that you can't. This is something I have to do myself, that it is," Kenshin replied painfully polite before grabbing another piece of plywood lying conveniently next to him. "Please stand back." 

Under normal circumstances he wouldn't have let anyone see his techniques since his days as an assassin had ingrained into his very being the knowledge that an opponent knowing one's movements was thrice as dangerous as one seeing them for the first time. However, he was tired, his brain kept wandering aimlessly between the past and the present, and the shadows and ghosts of his deeds had come back to haunt him, obscuring the bright light he felt his friends emitting. 

Thus he didn't even think twice before striking at the Earth with his makeshift weapon, sweeping up deadly fast projectiles of clay and splintered wood which proceeded to pepper the obstructions in their way with so much force that half of the building was simply blown away. His move was- in spite of the power behind it- executed with such accuracy that not a single piece of debris ever came in danger of hurting Sano, Kaoru or Kenshin himself, and the building would not collapse into itself after the dust had settled.

"Now... they can get out, that they can."

Kaoru and Sano just stood rooted to the spot, their jaws almost touching the floor.

"What the hell was that?" Sano blurted out. 

"Do Ryu Sen." Kenshin didn't find the will to say anything else.

"You... this is your technique?" Kaoru was awed. Having been trained in _kendo_ herself when she was a child the girl still couldn't grasp what the agent had done. Never before had she seen this much power in just a single blow.

"It was one of my techniques, that it was," Kenshin answered truthfully. No matter what, he wouldn't ever lie to those he considered his friends. Omit some things, yes, but never lie- not the way he had lied to her, back then... 

He grimaced as Sano suddenly decided to give him a friendly slap on the back, remembering too late why he hadn't done so in the first place.

"Sorry, Kenshin." 

"I need to go... help the... five people get out from the building, that I... do. I'm... alright...that I-"

"You're _notalright- I'm getting you to Megumi right now. You __will rest. Sano can help those trapped. Now come." _

Kenshin didn't resist being pulled away. His thoughts had wandered off again, leaving his body stumbling on behind Kaoru while his mind recalled faces long since faded into oblivion, events long forgotten... it was a strange feeling, seeing the Camp while not seeing it at all, trapped within himself yet moving freely... On a metalevel Kenshin wondered if he was showing signs of insanity, yet he couldn't help but remain where he was... within. 

*~*

"You're going out again today?" her face was hidden behind the curtain of her long hair, her black eyes invisibly burning into his soul. His heart clenched as he thought of what he had wanted to do this evening and what he had to do.

"I have to. This is our only chance to get to the Vice President of the Regime Intelligence Agency. Please, don't be angry, Tomoe." His voice was subdued, the angry amber of his eyes fading to a softer, golden hue.

"Why should I be angry? It's after all only the third dinner date you've cancelled, Kenshin." She was always so calm, always so perfectly ladylike. The only way he could tell that she was angry was because she kept avoiding his gaze. "Now go, and be safe." 

Oh well, this was another way. She omitted any mention of 'darling' or 'love' from her speech. Sighing, he put the sheath of his _katana_ through the belt of the black trousers he was wearing. 

"I'll be back soon, Tomoe my love, I promise." She still refused to look at him, even when he pulled her into a stiff embrace, which she didn't lean into. He had hurt her tonight, he knew, but he didn't know how he could have avoided it. After al, it was his duty to follow whenever the Agency called on him...  He released his hold on his partner. "I promise."

With this he left the secret base the Agency had established in a run-down warehouse at the edge of the city. Being a neighboring country to the Regime didn't exactly do wonders for your economy, so it was no surprise that the city's size had dwindled considerably and with it had gone its prosperity and liveliness. All that was left was a gray echo of what had been, a sad reflection in a distorted mirror of time.

Kenshin lengthened his strides as he walked along a street that had once been teeming with life. Now, only the occasional broken neon sign lent the night a bit of flickering light. He found it strange that a Regime general would take up residence in such an area, yet he had come to expect the unexpected and not be concerned by what stemmed from his actions.

That's what you're telling yourself, his conscience whispered. His only reaction was a hardening of his amber eyes. He couldn't allow himself to have a conscience; he was the shadow assassin of the Agency. He was Battousai, and he was merciless, never thinking twice about killing any witness to his deeds.

Except this one time... and look what it gave you: it gave you Tomoe, the most wonderful thing ever to happen to you. Angrily, he shook his head. He didn't want to think about mercy, hell, he didn't want to think _at all_. He wanted to make this a clean and fast job, so he could return to his partner and soon-to-be fiancée- he had planned on asking her tonight, but as usual the Agency had screwed up his planning.

Halting his steps, Kenshin realized he was already standing before the large abandoned villa that allegedly housed the general and his staff. His senses didn't pick up anyone on the street, but there were five people just behind the wall- guards, he guessed by the fierce blazing of their _ki_. Crouching ever so slightly he tensed for a second, then his muscles uncoiled and carried him to the top of the wall in one soundless jump. Before the guards could react to the rasping sound of his _katana_ being unsheathed they had died by the hand of the amber-eyed demon of the night.

The villa was silent when Battousai entered. So far everything had been going according to plan, no alarm had been raised and progress had been smooth for the assassin. After having killed the five guards he had avoided any encounters, though it had been close once when he had barely ducked out of the line of sight of a night patrol guard strolling along a corridor he was planning to use. He had hidden himself in a closet and waited until the young man had passed- even though he was Battousai he detested unnecessary bloodshed.

Finally, he reached the room the general should be sleeping in if the Agency had retrieved correct information. His photographic memory had led him well. A sliver of light was shining through the sliding door. Silently opening it and peering inside Battousai could distinguish two forms in the dim light of the night-lamp. At the same moment, whispers of a conversation reached his ears.

"... given that to my fiancée. She will know what to do." The voice of a young man, perhaps in the middle of his twenties. A strong voice, used to ordering people around.

"Will you ever see her again? I mean, rumors are she has turned traitor..." This one was older, but also more subdued, a little squeaky in its tone and higher than the voice before. Presumably, he was a subordinate of the first speaker.

"Don't talk about her like this! Iris will never betray me or our country!" The man Battousai presumed to be the general roughly backhanded his underling.

"I'm sorry, General Kiyosato! I didn't mean to insult you or Lady Iris. Please, forgive me." This was the squeaky voice.

So the first speaker _was the general, his target, the one to die tonight by his hands. Battousai contemplated his options. He could either charge right now, which meant he would have to kill both of the room's occupants, or he could wait until the underling left his general, thus reducing the number of kills. _

It turned out the decision wasn't his to make. The patrol guard he had let pass earlier came into the range of his senses once again. Cursing his luck Battousai slid the door fully open, coming face to face with the general who by now had a name added to his title. Before he could cross the entire room, however, the general had his weapon drawn and ready. 

Sloppy stance, weak wrist, lack of control... Battousai assessed his opponent. The underling stared ashen-faced at the slight redheaded man in black who had just barged in. 

"Who are you?" was the general's sharp demand while he leveled his sword to line up with Battousai's throat.

"I am Battousai, and I have come to bring Heaven's Justice." How he could keep his voice this icy was a mystery to Battousai himself. The act of killing didn't appeal to him, and he recoiled from having to slay yet another man, adding to the stain on his hands, but he just couldn't allow himself to show any of his thoughts. Fixing his amber glare upon the second occupant of the room, he advanced.

The underling shrieked, a sound cut in half when his _katana_ sliced the unfortunate man's throat. The general sneered at him, but Battousai could see the knuckles of the hand grasping his weapon were white and he was sweating as well.

"You won't kill me! I have to live! I have to live for her- for Iris, my love, my life... you... RAAAAAAAGH!" The general charged at his killer, murder in his eyes. Battousai evaded his attack- or so he thought. With a dexterity not foreseeable even by the great Battousai General Kiyosato- that had been his name, hadn't it? - changed the angle of his attack. Battousai ducked out of the way, but even he wasn't fast enough. A stinging pain on is left cheek and the wetness dropping onto his shoulder told him that at least part of the general's attack had found its target.

"You will die now. Find peace and happiness in your next life." 

Battousai would never admit it but it cost him all of his iron will and presumed coldness to actually stab General Kiyosato after flashing his _katana_ out of its sheath with the speed of his Battoujutsu. As his target's body collapsed to the ground the assassin found his right hand straying to his cheek against his will. Slightly wondered by the sight he watched his fingers glistening ruby red with his own blood in the flickering, unsteady light. He slashed at the air once, watching in morbid fascination as the drops of the general's blood falling in an arch from his blade were joined by his own blood flung off his fingers before both simultaneously hit the ground. Touching the wound on his cheek once more he let his right hand rest on the hilt of his now-sheathed _katana._

"You had a strong will to live, General Kiyosato, that you had... but you were not strong enough," were his last words to the dead man before he vanished through the window, cushioning the three-story fall with cat-like grace. The night patrol guard's alarm barely even reached Kenshin's ears as the young man raced through the night back to where his heart was.

The pavement was a blur underneath his swift feet. He couldn't wait to get back to Tomoe. He had to make up with her, somehow... Something caught his eye. Halting his dash he bent down to pick the delicate flower that had blossomed in the cracked wall of yet another factory left to rot. "Poppy..." the assassin thought, the red color of the flower in his hand visible even in the dark. He noticed the stain on the stem, and remembered too late that his hands were still coated with his own blood. No way to undo this now, he sighed before speeding up again, I hope she will accept this nonetheless.

Arriving at the Agency headquarters he froze, the flower dropping to the floor unnoticed, a red stain on the gray-black pavement.

Part of the building had collapsed, there was a fire raging, and in the frenzy of activity only one thought was able to permeate the haze of his mind. Tomoe!

Her _ki_ signature was coming from underneath the jumbled pile of the wing that had housed their room. He didn't wait for the rescue team to clear the way before whipping out his _katana_. 

"Do Ryu Sen!" He didn't care that men tripped while jumping out of the way of the wall of earth that came rushing at them with supersonic speed, all he cared about was her as he ran after his own attack, disappearing into the hole he had ripped into the collapsed side of the building...

*~*

He blinked, daylight too bright for his sensitive eyes. Nonetheless he tried to establish his whereabouts, but all he could see was one dark gray mass... clouds... the sky? Hadn't he just...?

"So you're awake again." 

No. He was at the Camp, not in some border city. And that voice- it belonged to Agent Takani. Kenshin narrowed his eyes and tried to get up, but some unknown force restrained his movements. Letting his gaze wander across his body he found Yahiko sitting on his legs.

"You are not getting up, Ken-san. What did I tell you? You should not overexert yourself? Well, you've done it again, and I will have Yahiko sit on you until you promise to stay put!" the doctor chided, concern in her deep brown eyes as she leant over Kenshin's prone form. 

"Busu there scared us to death, you know. Wailing and crying for Megumi to come..." Yahiko said with a smirk on his face.

"Who are you calling Busu?" So Kaoru had decided to come back to the 'hospital' as well, and she was even kneeling beside him... Kenshin smiled.

"I am really sorry for worrying you, that I am. I didn't want to do so, that I didn't. I hope you will forgive, me, that I do..." he winced when Megumi applied pressure to his chest. Yahiko watched silently, his eyes big as saucers. Apparently, the boy had never been at the hospital before today, and never this near to an injured person. Trying to reassure him Kenshin molded his features into a slight smile even though Megumi's actions sent ripples of agony through his strained muscles.

"How did you get yourself cut again?" the doctor asked. Kenshin averted his eyes. He wasn't ready to tell them.

"I met someone from my past, that I did." Yahiko snorted disbelievingly. 

"That must have been an interesting reunion," Agent Takani remarked in a caustic voice before following a call from a worker who had a profusely bleeding gash in his arm. Kenshin just closed his eyes, too tired to think of anything to say to the leaving agent. Sleep was bliss, calling him just one step away... now if only the weight of the little boy sitting on his legs wouldn't numb them so much... 

"Why did he attack you?" Kaoru suddenly asked. His eyes snapped open again, piercingly cobalt in hue.

"Why do you think _he attacked _me_, Miss Kaoru? It could have been the other way round, that it could. You know who I am, that you do..." he trailed off, unwilling to take out his tiredness and irritation at having been confronted with his own past once again on the young woman who was so trustingly gazing at him with her eyes the color of the midnight sky, or the boy flinching under his gaze. _

"I know who you _were, Kenshin. But I don't care about the past, it's gone and done with, and I know you as a kind soul... someone who risks himself to protect others. You are not the assassin any more," she whispered, trailing a hand along the sleeve of his shirt that was, even though just received, once again trash since it had been cut by Aoshi's attack. His gasp of surprise was quickly masked as a cough, and he enjoyed the feeling of her hand on his forehead as Kaoru checked whether he was running a fever- which he was, if his own assessment of his body was any good. He hadn't quite overcome it yesterday night, and straining himself while fighting Aoshi had raised his temperature again. _

"You should sleep, Kenshin." Megumi softly advised, returning to his side. Kenshin smiled brightly at them, covering his emotions. 

"I am quite alright, Miss Megumi, that I am. I would really like to go on helping Sano, that I would." Sleep could, after all, wait for the one or two hours the day still had. The pitiful cries of the weak and injured grated on his nerves, and he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't do everything he could to help.

"Do you think you can help anyone the way you are?" Agent Takani's head seemed suddenly topped by fox ears, giving Kenshin a clue as to why Sanosuke called her 'Foxy Lady'. "No, you are going to lie still while I treat you, Ken-san!" Laughter pearled from her mouth while Kaoru silently fumed next to her, involuntarily gripping Kenshin's long red hair a little too tight. He carefully pried it from her grasp before throwing Yahiko off his legs with a sudden maneuver. 

"I want to help, that I do... oro?" 

He found himself on the ground again, pushed over by a mere shove of Megumi's right hand. Kaoru had jumped up and was glaring daggers at him while Yahiko was ready to once again securely fasten his legs to the floor. Kenshin sighed. Giving up his struggle, he settled himself into his customary sitting position, but not before discarding the blanket he had laid upon. 

"I will stay here, that I will. Maybe I could help Miss Megumi and Miss Kaoru a little, that I could... and please give this to someone who needs it more than I do." He held out the blanket. Kaoru frowned.

"You can help to make bandages," Megumi said dumping a load of cloth stripes into his lap. She knew that the stubborn redhead would be up and around the first second nobody watched him, claiming he was fine and doing things he shouldn't do, all in order to alleviate the suffering of the Camp residents around him. It's a safe occupation at least. It doesn't require him to move...

"I'll help you... Kenshin." Kaoru quickly offered blushing before settling down beside him. Yahiko made gagging noises.

"Go fetch some water, Yahiko!" Megumi ordered shoving the boy away. "And you- don't do anything that will force Ken-san to strain himself!" Once again Megumi's clear laughter rang out. 

Kaoru blushed madly, and even Kenshin couldn't keep his cheeks from reddening. "I won't..." she stammered embarrassedly.

"Well, I just wanted to remind you!" Megumi stated haughtily before hurrying off to yet another emergency being brought to her makeshift hospital.

It was late at night when the workers and guards finally retired. Since only four buildings were intact enough to offer shelter against the biting cold, the sleeping conditions were even more cramped than usual. Kenshin had refused to be given one of the rare cots. Together with his friends he occupied one corner of the damp, smelly barrack, leaning against the wall while cradling an exhausted and snoring Yahiko against his chest. His tiredness had evaporated into thin air when he noticed several guards joining the workers for their rest. He didn't trust them, and thus was resolved to stay awake. 

His senses were working on overdrive even though he had dropped into a light dozing. He knew he would be a pitiful line of defense should any of the 'special force' attack at night- he was aware of his limits and that his bodily condition was not pristine. Still... the five sharp _ki_ signatures just one barrack away gnawed at him. One of them was especially aggressive, dark, dangerous, making him withdraw and dull his own _ki_ until it barely covered himself and his friends. He had a feeling he knew the person to whom it belonged, had a feeling he even knew him well... 

"Kenshin?"

His restlessness had awakened Sano. The man didn't seem capable to actively pick up others' _ki, but was quite adept at doing so subconsciously. Kenshin's withdrawing must have alerted him. _

"Everything's fine, Sano, that it is," he whispered, but Sano shook his head before he had finished his sentence. 

"No, it isn't. I have a bad feeling about this. I know you hate this, but I think we will have to abandon the Camp as soon as possible. There is danger here."

"You are right, that you are." Kenshin admitted, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach at the thought of leaving so many lives in such desolate conditions. "I would have liked to take more with us, that I would. But..."

"Tsubame, Tae and Sae will follow as well. When you fell asleep this evening Kaoru told them."

Kenshin's eyes briefly blazed a bright amber before settling down into flinty blue-gray. 

"That was a risk, that it was," he stated flatly.

"They know how to cook- and besides, they are nice. I know them. They always let me have some extra if they could arrange it."

Kenshin sighed. There was no need to be angry. Everything had worked out well. 

"When do you think we should leave?" a sleepy female voice asked.

"You're awake too?" Sano blurted out, turning to Kaoru who was slumped against the wall next to Kenshin, her head on his shoulder. 

"I think it should be the night after tomorrow, that it should," Kenshin whispered, his senses attuned to very shift in the _ki_ of his friends.

"What will be the night after tomorrow?"

Sano and Kenshin's head whipped around at the sound of the sharp voice, their breath stuck in their throat.  

... to be continued... 

Okay… I hope I got this right… if not, complain to Chibi. Anyways, please tell her if you enjoyed her little concoction- and I'm off! Bye!

_Ry in the name of Chibi_


	8. Chapter 7 In too deep

_Hi!!!_

_Ry here again. My sister's still in hospital (even though they have mobilized her a little and she's hopping around on her crutches), so it's me who gets stuck with this again. Hope you don't mind… Okay, here it goes. Her intro is below, and then comes the story. Bye for now. Ry_

_Ciao!!!_

_Yasai: Hi._

_Wheee! I love being able to write!_

_Yasai: I... need... a... break!_

_*grins* I guess I'm overstressing my muse a little... since I have finally plotted out my second story and begun working on the third...then I got the notice I'm getting out of the hospital on Friday, so my normal update on Sunday is certain. Yay for me!_

_Yasai: *swirly-eyed mess on the floor next to Chibi's hospital bed* I wish they would not have allowed you your laptop!_

_Lazy little muse you are! Enjoy the fun while it lasts! *evilgrin* Anyways... this time we have some more characters showing up- including one eagerly awaited..._

_Yasai: Don't give everything away! Start the story, now!_

_All right! Enjoy reading!_

Chapter 7 In too deep 

Water. 1 gram of weight per cubic centimeter. The substance used for measuring the liter. Sustenance of life all over Earth depended on its abundance. It came in many forms, from many sources. Once unleashed it could be an unstoppable force of terror as well as a soothing relief for pain. It could be merciless and gentle, scalding and cooling, dark as the night and brighter than a spring day. Its voice could equal the roar of thunder and the sweet sound of music. Delighting and frightening... it was the one thing one could not be without.

Still, the girl mused, still it was unfair that she always had to ensure they had enough of it. Pulling up the rusted chains she could hear the full bucket's slapping ascent through the well. Humming lightly to herself she watched as the cool, clear liquid rose to the surface after only a short time. It must have rained somewhere nearby, the well was finally full again.

"Et voilà!" She grinned, hoisting the bucket over the circular brick wall of the well. The wall was crumbling in places, just as the chain used to pull up the water was rusted and the roof over the precious well was sagging.

What a run-down place this land is, she thought. Still, her smile won over everything else, and once the full bucket was secure in her hands she skipped back along the worn-out path to the house, kicking up dust shining red in the morning sun, her long braid flying behind her back. 

"Here comes the waaater!" She called merrily ahead. The sleepy head of the old man she was living with poked out from the first story window behind which his bedroom lay.

"Misao! The sun hasn't even risen yet," he complained. The girl's turquoise eyes sparkled. 

"Aw, Jiya, come on! I know you had a 'private party' last night, but..."

"Mi-sa-o! How can anyone be so energetic in the morning?" This was Omasu speaking, a tall, beautiful woman whose sharp black-brown eyes managed to scare the hell even out of the owner of the small farm they were residing at, a man they all knew only as 'Okina'- or 'Jiya', in Misao's case. His true name was Kashiwazaki Nenji, but few people even knew that. Though Omasu was not a relative of Okina's she was the daughter of the previous housekeeper, and as such had been living on the farm since she was a very small girl, adapting her mother's ways of, well, _persuading_ the male population of the farm to do her bidding. Whenever she raised her voice it was better to dive for cover, but Misao only flashed a brilliant smile in Omasu's direction before skipping over to the other side of the old half-timbered house.

"Hey, Misao. Are you annoying everyone again?" Okon, the second daughter of Okina, grinned at the girl who was bouncing on the balls of her feet while balancing the bucket full of water in her hands. "Come on, wake Omime, Shiro and Kuro and then help me make breakfast!" She retracted her head from the second story window that connected her room with the outside world.

Misao nodded. Quickly disposing of her load in the oil barrel next to the house that served as their water tank she rushed inside, careful not to bang her head on the slanting beam that had drooped lower over the door the longer the house stood- and it had been standing there for a very long time, since before the war, since before the Regime- even since before Okina, though this was hard to believe for a girl as young as Misao.

Once out of sight of everyone the girl let out a sigh, suddenly much more serious. To everyone on the farm she was but a young orphan, a girl wandering aimlessly and half-starved through Regime territory. They had been so quick to accept her, not even once questioning her on her past when she had made it clear that it was painful to her. Not that this was a lie. Her past was holding her in its strong grip, and until she met up with what she knew was her destiny she would always be swept away in its wake.

For however young she looked, she was older (if only a little), and even though she truly was an orphan she was not alone in the world. At least she had never been until that fateful event six months ago...  

Where are you, my friends? I never saw you again after Hannya had knocked me out in the little _auberge we were using as our temporary base. It took me a whole month to find out Aoshi-sama went over to the Regime, and now... I'm still not closer to finding him than I was back then!  Misao fought the tears that threatened to well up in her beautiful indanthrene eyes. Thoughts of her crush- No, she fervently thought, thoughts of my true love!- tended to do that to the lively teenager. _

"Misao! Do you want to spend the rest of your teenage years standing around in the hallway? Come on, you wanted to wake the others!" Okon shouted, waking her from her reverie. 

Misao sighed. Pushing away her dark musings she smiled again. "I'm going, I'm going!" she shouted back.

*~*

Hiko Seijurou reclined into the big, imposing, black leather CEO armchair he had installed behind his desk at his private office. His right hand balanced two _sake_- cups while in his left the enormous jug spoke of the quantities of alcohol he and his guest planned on ingesting that evening. Across the desk, the slim, medium-height figure of Katsura Kogoro rose out of his armchair to take one of the cups.

"Thank you, Seijurou. It's been a long time since you and I had a nice drink of _sake_ together."

Seijurou Hiko nodded at him, and they sat in silence watching the flickering flames in Hiko's fireplace cast their shadows on the walls. Despite the relaxed atmosphere both men were on guard, their gazes sharp and wits collected. Both knew that it was only under dire circumstances that Hiko Seijurou invited the Agency leader into the hunting cabin he had made his home. Katsura Kogoro respected the sharp-witted, cynical man, but sometimes a more direct approach would be preferable in his opinion. The ex-agent made too much of an effort to hide his true self from the world... but this had been an issue even back when they had both been employed by the Agency.

*~*

Hiko had disappeared from view on a mission to Regime territory.  His part-time partner and friend Katsura had been worried sick, of course- after all, it had been two months since they had heard of the agent. Then, one day, the missing one had just strolled into the Agency headquarters unannounced, white billowing trenchcoat around his shoulders as usual- and a small, red-haired shrimp of a boy at his side. This was indeed the first time Katsura had set eyes on who would later be Agent Himura. The child had clung to Hiko's side like a suckerfish. He was wide-eyed and quiet yet observant. While Katsura led Hiko through the building to their superior's office for a first report the child had taken in everything he had seen, his unusual mauve-colored eyes darting from one thing to the other yet he never said a word.

While Hiko was reporting the boy stayed outside the Agency leader's office with Katsura on order of his mentor. The agent had felt the child's uneasiness around him, and he also felt he was under close scrutiny. However, he never caught the boy looking at him until a shift in his body language occurred and delft-blue eyes met his brown ones on an equal level.

"Why no number thirteen is?" His voice was high-pitched and small, carrying an accent that showed he had only recently learned how to speak Katsura's mother tongue. 

Katsura stared down at the boy in wonder. A child like him, perhaps eight years of age, being thrown into an unfamiliar environment and yet he found the one thing that was inconsistent in it.

"Thirteen is believed to be an unlucky number here," he had found himself answering.

"Four and nine is... my is from." the boy answered, struggling with the language but able to express himself. "Sorry that I not very good at talk. Shishou only teach this one words a week."

A week. And this little boy already talked to strangers. "You are very good," replied Katsura with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his lips. The boy shook his head.

"No. I not good. Not learn much. Shishou say 'baka deshi'. I not know every word he say." He was frowning, knowing the flow of his speech didn't sound right.

"But you can understand what I am saying, right? And you could even read the signs on the doors, foreign numbers to you. And you noticed there was no number thirteen. I think that is very good, kid. By the way- I can't keep calling you 'kid' all the time- what's your name?"

"Shishou say name is Kenshin. Himura Kenshin."

"I am Katsura Kogoro."

The boy nodded. "I know. Shishou say name meet Mister Katsura."

At this Hiko came through the door and the boy returned to his silence. Still, he was more at ease and dared venture a bit further from the man he called 'Shishou'. And this was Katsura's first encounter with Himura Kenshin.

Later, when Kenshin started to become a regular in the Agency, he learned the boy was almost a child prodigy. Gifted- or cursed- with a 98% accurate audiovisual memory he was able to express himself fluently in the foreign tongue in a month's time; his accent was gone by the time he was nine. Hiko had taken it upon himself to train the child, so he didn't only learn what normal children did at school and normal agents for their work at the Agency but also Hiko's very own style of fighting. Kenshin was frighteningly strong for being such a small child, and what was even more astonishing was his speed. The boy was lucky to have found a mentor like Hiko Seijurou, who was on par with his mental and physical abilities and wiser in the ways of the world. He managed to keep the boy sweet and humble, by showing him there would always be someone better than him out there. Who knew how conceited and arrogant the kid might have gotten without his guidance... perhaps little Kenshin would have turned into a second Hiko Seijurou... well, he somehow had, seven years later, when he had escaped his master's grasp and stood at the gates of the Agency asking to be employed. Katsura still regretted ever giving the boy the job he had. However often he kept telling himself that he had had no choice, that with Hiko and himself out of the line of active duty the kid was the only person alive to do what was required, that he would be alright at the end and that nothing bad would come out of turning a gifted, shy, sweet and innocent yet powerful, cunning and strategic genius of a boy into an assassin he could not deny he had stolen the boy his youth and- almost- his sanity. But that had been in the far future back then when Agent Himura had not developed his particular amber eyes and had been nothing but a little boy in a big world... 

A few days before Hiko had made his unexpected getaway Katsura had asked him where he had come across the boy and why he had taken him with him. Hiko had only smirked at his friend. 

"The shrimp was sitting on the street when I walked past. He somehow stuck to me," he said, and that was all Hiko would ever say about the past of his baka deshi. Himura himself had only lifted a small part of the mystery... but that was not what his attention should be on right now.   

*~*

"So why am I here?" Katsura asked, pulling himself from his reflections on the past, "I don't assume this is about Himura?"

Hiko frowned. "Why would I call you here because of my baka deshi? No, this is important." He gulped down his _sake and refilled his cup from the jug sitting comfortably in the middle of his desk, Katsura waiting patiently for him to continue. "Do you remember the informant we had?"_

"Informant? We have many." 

"This one was a Regime citizen- not a model citizen, though, since he was also an informant for us and one to show other Regime citizens how bad their leaders are. He was some sort of _kendo instructor who had developed his own style. Baka deshi actually met him once."_

"You mean that... Kamiya guy? I thought he was killed several weeks ago when the Regime caught onto his illegal activities and confiscated his dojo."

"He was killed, yes- but perhaps you find it interesting that his daughter was interned in the same Camp my baka deshi went into."

Katsura kept his cool while Hiko smirked annoyingly and refilled his _sake_-cup yet again. He knew his ex-partner was just teasing him with tidbits of information, waiting for him to explode and demand to know what this was all about so he could go on an indignant rave about how ungrateful the world was.

"Well, and not only do we have her, our missing agent and my baka deshi in there, but also one of our deep undercover people." Hiko finally continued after a pause stretching into eternity.

"_What_?" Katsura almost choked on his _sake_. So Hiko had managed it again. Katsura was almost jumping out of his skin. How could that annoying man know about _his_ deep undercover agents? Heck, some of them had been hypnotized so that even _they didn't know about their status!_

"Yes. He was a Regime officer who wanted to work for us after he saw his integrity endangered by the people he worked for. His strict moral code didn't allow for him to stay true to them, so we offered a little help... in return for his services to us. The man who opened his eyes to the true nature of the Regime was Kamiya, and I suppose that his moral standards demand he do something for the daughter of the man who helped him cover up his conversion. So there is a decent possibility he runs across her. She, however, is closely associated with our missing agent Takani, and thus, I guess, under the protection of my baka deshi. Now we have the conflict: The officer in question is, unfortunately, more acquainted with my baka deshi than I would like, and he bears some sort of grudge against him... after all, baka deshi managed to kill three of the subjects this guy was supposed to protect."

Katsura was miffed and astonished. Hiko Seijurou knew, as always, more than even he did- and he was the goddamn _leader of the Agency! One day he would have to extort his information sources out of Hiko... but for now he would be grateful for every little bit of help the reclusive master agent offered._

"So you know about the 'Wolf'," he stated flatly.

"And that he wants to kill my baka deshi, yes."

"And what would you propose, Seijurou?" 

"Send a team into Regime territory to meet Agent Takani and my baka deshi- if he hasn't gotten himself killed- halfway."

"I have already contemplated this option, however, I think Himura needs a little more time," Katsura said, slowly recovering from the shock of Hiko's revelations.  

"If you think something baka deshi does gets better in time... then again, even an idiot like him might do something right if he is not under time pressure," Hiko mumbled offhandedly. Katsura smiled.

"Three days from now the operation will start. Don't worry, we'll get Himura back."

Hiko snorted. "I don't care what you do. Have some more _sake_?"

That was Hiko Seijurou... 

*~*

Aoshi stood silently in front of his commander. Since he had joined the Regime he had to learn to become a subordinate again, something that didn't come easily to the immensely talented fighter. 

"So you say we should be on the lookout for subversive elements and that one of them might be dangerous, Shinomori?" 

"Yes, Sir. And I recommend we find that man as soon as possible. He might be an infiltrator."

Leaving out some of the truth was not a problem. Sometimes, it was better if his superiors didn't know everything he knew- an old spy rule. Never tell everything you know but know everything you tell. 

"I will send Saito Hajime to patrol the Camp today. He is a fighter trained the way you and I are, Shinomori. Not like this useless fool of a bureaucrat who was leader before me. Hoji will send a message to him. Now, leave."

"Yes, Sir." It wasn't easy to salutate and bow before someone, and thus his actions seemed even more stiff than usual. Once dismissed, Aoshi returned to his quarters, which were in the guard barrack that had survived the storm virtually intact.

Battousai. I hope Saito doesn't find you out... the only one to kill you is me!

Meanwhile, Kenshin surveyed the Camp from the corner of his eyes while he rolled up bandages for Megumi. The physician-agent had decreed he needed to rest still, especially to prepare for what had been decided the night before... Kenshin chuckled. That had been a good scare yesterday night, that it had... The scene was as vividly painted before his eyes as when it had taken place. Chuckling, he remembered the looks on everybody's faces...

*~*

"M... Megumi, don't scare us like this!" Kaoru stammered, ashen-faced and clutching at her throat. 

"Yeah, Foxy, that was mean! Talking like some damn officer." Sano added weakly. 

"I think my life just was shortened by ten years, that I do," Kenshin wheezed. 

Megumi's eyes twinkled mirthfully. "The opportunity as just too good not to be taken," she apologized to her friends who had managed to collapse into a frenzied heap after the shock she had given them.  "Now tell me what you are planning to do the night after tomorrow."

Kenshin took a second to collect his thoughts before he started to speak. A shine of amber stole into his eyes when he calmly laid out the crude plan he had formulated.

"When the night falls tomorrow we will assemble at the edge of the Camp village. Then we will try to make it to the mine, where I have provided us with a means of escape; namely a hole in the fence. After we are through the fence and have unearthed my weapon, the food and what I have of clothing we will only have to get through the outer perimeter of guards and then across the land. Since I can't hope to get my hands on a map in the course of a single day when the main storage room has been destroyed we will have to rely on my memory to get us to the border. While we travel I hope to send word to my superiors at the Agency, meaning there will be most likely a team meeting us at the border and escorting all of us home.

Should we encounter any guards I will be the one to take them on. You will run, protected by Sano and Miss Kaoru, who will have a _bokken_- like weapon. I think that should not be hard to obtain since there is so much debris lying around. You should look for a suitable piece of wood tomorrow. 

I fear we will be up against guns. Again, I will be the one to take them out while you seek cover. our group is too big to do anything else. If anyone gets injured to the point he or she can't walk-" he swallowed, his eyes becoming more amber than before, "-the group will continue on leaving him or her behind. I hope it won't come to this, and I will do my best, as I am sure will you. 

Miss Megumi, you will take as many first aid supplies as you dare and hide them somewhere. If we have some lighter injuries we will need them.

Since Miss Kaoru hasn't trained Yahiko yet he will have to be protected, as will Misses Megumi, Tsubame, Sae and Tae. Sano, I trust you will do this?"

The tall fighter shook his head. "No way. Kenshin, I will be where the action is. This time you will not fight without me!"

"Sanosuke, if you don't protect the rest of the group I can't make sure we get away." Kenshin's eyes were dangerously close to full-fledged amber.

"Don't be mad, Kenshin," Kaoru intervened, "I can protect them, you know."

Miraculously, her hand on his upper right arm had a calming effect. Breathing deeply, he settled down and after blinking once revealed blue-gray eyes, which retained a flinty touch but had lost the rage that had possessed him earlier. 

"I believe you, Miss Kaoru, that I do," he said, and that had been the end of the argument.

*~*

Now Sano's role in the game was still left to be determined, Kenshin was uneasy and upset because he was once again confined to the makeshift hospital area, Kaoru was off helping Sano proving how strong she was and searching for a suitable ersatz _bokken_. Yahiko was helping Tsubame carry small chests of medicine from the real hospital to Megumi's, and Tae and Sae were over at the cooking area preparing lunch for the guards and officers. 

And he was stuck watching what little he could see from his sitting position. Kenshin absolutely hated this. It took him a lot of control not to let his emotions take over and simply do what he wanted. 

Shishou taught me better than this, that he did, he reprimanded himself for his restlessness, I know I have to gain what strength I can. If I were to fight against someone like Aoshi again...

His musings were cut short when his eyes caught sight of a lanky, dark-haired Regime officer patrolling the Camp in an impeccable dark-blue uniform. His sharp features, deep-set yellow-amber eyes and confident stride were telltale signs of danger to Kenshin. Add to this that he actually knew the man... well, as well as you can know someone you have only ever spoken to through your sword. The way the man orchestrated his movements to the activities flowing around him told Kenshin that he was on the hunt. On the hunt for an elusive prey he didn't want to startle. And he, Himura Kenshin, knew that prey better than anyone else.

His hands a flurry of movement he wrapped his head in the bandages he had so studiously rolled up before and lay down on his back, eyes closed, his left cheek obscured by his half- turned head. He tuned his _ki_ down below the minimum, making him feel dizzy but also like a completely different person. The man who was on the hunt had an extraordinary sixth sense, and he was more attuned to his surroundings than anyone Kenshin had ever met. In fact, if he were to name his most dangerous opponent, this man would be him.

That I couldn't pick him out among those five riders immediately is another tribute to his abilities, the agent thought, shivering slightly when he thought of opposing the man now. Saito Hajime. Leader of the Regime Elite Soldier Platoon assigned to guarding their highest officials. Strong and predatory. Almost a chain smoker. Has a grudge against me for taking out three of his charges. Lives by a strict code: Kill Evil Instantly. Has never let anything or anyone soil his integrity. Allegedly involved in the Kamiya dojo incident. Unsolicitedly his mind recited every tidbit of information he had gleaned on the Regime officer. Kenshin grimaced, feeling helpless without his sixth sense and eyesight. His ears were only picking up the usual sounds. It became clear that the only sense he could rely on was his sense of smell. Saito was never caught far from a cigarette, and strolling around the Camp he was almost certain to...

The sharp stench of burning tobacco assaulted Kenshin's nostrils. French, were is thoughts on the brand as he coughed weakly. His hands twitched at his side, longing for a weapon so he could defend himself. He forced his body to become limp and still while more and more of the noxious fumes drifted down to him.

"Only weak and injured ones here... not one noteworthy."

The grumbled assessment almost made Kenshin exhale in relief. Now if the officer would just move along... His prayers were answered. Something must have caught Saito's interest since his steps were decidedly a little more hurried than usual when he left the mock hospital. Slowly blinking Kenshin assured that the hunter was out of sight before sitting up and removing the bandages. Megumi came over to his side.

"What happened, Ken-san? Who was this guy?" 

Trust the sharp eyes of Takani Megumi to catch his uneasiness. "He is someone we don't want to run into, that he is. I have fought against him more than once, that I have, and he is very, very dangerous, that he is. If we want to escape we have to avoid him, that we have."

"Then we will avoid him," Megumi replied, her face determined. This was Agent Takani speaking. Kenshin smiled at her. 

"I am sure everything will be alright, that it will- oro? Sano?" Once Saito had vanished from sight he had extended his senses a little again, thus catching onto the presence of his friend with practiced ease.

"Oi, Foxy, I need your help!" The tall man was pretty pale underneath his brown hair and light tan.

"What did you do to yourself, rooster-head? Find out that stupidity hurts?" asked Megumi teasingly, though not without concern.

"No... I think something's wrong with my hand. Got caught between two pieces of barrack." Sano held his right hand cradled to his chest.

"Let me see," Megumi sighed. He extended his arm towards her. "There ya go, Foxy," he said, winking at her. 

Megumi gasped. 'Something wrong' in Sano's case meant that at least three fingers were broken, with the possibility of the metacarpals being smashed as well. 

"Idiot rooster-head! That must have been a whole barrack collapsing on your hand!"

"It wasn't a _whole barrack, only half of one... Well, you see... I was the only one there at the time, and there was a boy half trapped in it... so I held it up long enough for him to get out but... my hand couldn't get out fast enough," he finished lamely while Megumi was busy cleaning the blood from his injured limb._

"Stupid!" The doctor muttered, but treated him more tenderly than before. Before long she was finished wrapping the hand in stiff bandages and ordered Sano not to use it anymore. 

"If you do more stupid things,  how do you want to help Ken-san?" she reasoned. Sano winked at her again. 

"Don't worry, Foxy. Oh- and this is my thanks!"

Agent Takani had no chance to react as her lips were captured in a quick, yet ardent, kiss. Before she regained her senses Sano had sprinted off, throwing her a grin over his shoulder. Megumi blushed, one hand involuntarily reaching up to touch her lips. 

"Stupid rooster-head..." She had never sounded so utterly unconvincing before.

*~*

The chickens were hungry, as always. They gobbled up about anything, even burnt leftovers from a breakfast Misao had prepared with Aoshi in mind. As she threw the ruined food into the yard the young girl's mind once again wandered to the happy days of training under her Aoshi-sama. How patient had he been, watching when Hannya taught her how to throw a _kunai_ with enough accuracy to hit a spot a centimeter in diameter twenty-five feet away. How calm and collected he had been when giving instructions to the Oniwabanshu. How beautiful when fighting. And, last but not least, how he had made their group into the most dangerous freelance agents in the world. He had been the center of her world, a world that had collapsed around the happy-go-lucky fledgling agent six months ago in a town called Paris.

Since then, she had been fighting for her happiness. All alone, she had retained her innocence through every obstacle thrown in her way. And she had forged new alliances, found new friends. Still, it had been hard not to give up, and more than once she had wanted to do so. Only the thought of the love of her life had held her on course, only the hope of seeing his arctic blue eyes again had kept her going. And by now I'm in too deep... too deep to ever get out except through the other side. Aoshi... I _will find you, no matter how long it takes! Don't worry, your Misao is on her way!_

Her smile broke through like the sun coming forth from behind the clouds. "All done!" she cried, emptying the bowl of breakfast leftovers to the cackling poultry. 

"Then come, Misao. We have work to do in the cornfield today!"

It was not unmerited that happiness was approaching Makimachi Misao again after it had been absent for quite some time. What was astonishing was that it would come from a place one would least expect it to be, and that it came accompanied by danger and suffering. Life works in strange ways, not in vain is Fate its twin sister. Strands in the big fabric of destiny were coming together, ready to form a new, colorful picture. Until then, happiness lay patiently in wait.

... to be continued... 

_Yippieh! There's another chapter!!! And the next story is coming along smoothly… perhaps I will even be able to post the first chapter this week. Its title? **Romancing the King**. *grins* What it's about? Of course a king, a knight, a mystery and love. *evilgrin* Just let me say this: the king is probably not who you expect… _

_Okee... Ry has brought me some of my e-mail so I can at least answer the questions asked there... which are quite a lot *gasps*_

**Brenna**_: Why am I not using 'de gozaru yo' or other Japanese terms popular in fanfiction? It's simple. I don't know much about Japanese grammar, but what little I know tells me you have to use an appropriate particle to finish your sentence. And since I really don't know any Japanese I of course don't know which particle (ga, ka, yo...) to use. So, instead of making mistakes which will make the skin of anyone who actually knows Japanese crawling (I know that feeling. It hits me every time someone who doesn't know German tries to use it...) I just stick to what I can employ- the English language. Sorry for being a perfectionist in that aspect, but I really love languages, and slaughtering one of them just to appear sophisticated isn't my way of acting. Sorry again!_

**Jack-the-Ripper**_: Creepy alias you've got there! Anyways, as you can see I have introduced Misao to the story. As for it going slow- well, I don't like haste. I rather work a little on a certain situation before moving on, and I don't believe in true love on first sight (beware, I am a killer of romance in real life!), so the romance will take its sweet time coming... and no, I don't write Yaoi. Read, yes, but not write. Why? Simply because I think I'm the least qualified person on the planet to understand the feelings two males have for each other. I am a fifteen-year-old, straight girl with a twin brother whose feelings are a mystery to me when it comes to love. So there. I just know my limits. Hiko and Kogoro are just friends *starts thinking about getting Ikumatsu into the picture*._

**Darkening**_: How long will the story be? Well, I have estimated roughly fifteen to twenty chapters. I have an outline and a draft written, but I decide on where to start and end a chapter while writing so sorry, I can't give you the exact number!_

**Dragowolf**_: And here we have little Misao jumping around… sorry it takes me so long to integrate all the characters, but as I pointed out above I am someone who rather likes taking things slowly and in detail… and I had to establish the others' situation first before I could introduce someone new. Sorry!!! _

**Moomoo**_: Actually, I have to finish school first before I can study law, which will take another year… but I am supposed to be on an internship right now *glares at cast on right ankle* which I decided to do to get to know the profession. It's really cool! Sorry about the cliffhanger!!!_

**Lebleuphenix**_: Humor? That comes as a surprise to me- I don't usually write humor… I guess I'm much too serious (even though some of my classmates got some humor out of me- involuntarily, of course…) *grins* Was the interruptor (uh, spellcheck says that's not a word… but then spellcheck says spellcheck' not a word as well…) a surprise??? _

**All who read this story**:_ I thank you!!! And I promise the next update will be on Sunday!!! I get out of the hospital on Friday or Saturday *wants to dance* and thus my bio will get updated as well… _

_Yasai: About time. The 'status report' is still set on what happened three weeks ago!_

_Okay, this is it! Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_

_Well, she sure talks a lot. And to think Chi's my sister… bye now._

_Ry_


	9. Chapter 8 Breaking bonds

_Ciao!!!_

_Chibi signing in with Chapter 8! And it's myself this time since I'm home! I'm home! No more hospital (well, at least not until I have to get the metal plates holding the remains of my bones together out…) and no more hospital food (Seriously- a night at the hospital costs as much as a night in a three-star hotel. They could at least serve **halfway **decent food!). _

_Yasai: And you're still not mobile enough to go anywhere…_

_Which means: yes, you get an update! And if this isn't enough- I have posted the first chapter on another story, _**Romancing the King**_. _

_Yasai: Well, first things first, ne, Chibi? Here it is- Chapter 8. Hope you're not disappointed!_

_Enjoy the story!!!_

_"…." Denotes talking___

_….. denotes thinking___

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place___

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 8 Breaking bonds 

Saito Hajime hated looking into a mirror. Not because his reflection was an ugly one, or because he couldn't stand looking himself into the eyes- no, a mirror served as a reminder for him of what he could have become hadn't he discovered the truth. Hadn't he met Kamiya Koshijirou. Hadn't he been confronted with the ugly other side of the Regime he had held in such high esteem.

It hadn't turned him traitor. He refused to believe that it was possible to betray someone who had betrayed oneself beforehand. They had mocked him, him and his code of honor, the one thing he stringently adhered to in his life. He was not above many things, but once he was forced to go against what was his innermost truth he turned into the rapacious wolf he was so often compared to.

Sneering at himself in his mottled green Regime uniform with the gold epaulettes denoting his rank in the military Saito left the guard barrack he had searched. No sign of any danger in the deserted building, not a single person hiding in the bunk beds. Only the slightly hunched over figure of Shinomori Aoshi meditating in front of a stearin candle inhabited the building apart from himself. Everyone else was outside reconstructing. Saito schooled his features into an expressionless mask and hid his feelings of contempt deep within himself. It would do him no good should any of his companions sense what he truly thought. Blinking against the dim yet too bright light outside he resumed his silent stalking. 

Sano was positively glowing as he strolled through the Camp, hands stuffed into the waistband of his trousers and a whistled tune on his lips. His luck was definitely improving. He had managed to steal a kiss from Lady Foxy, and tonight he was going to be a free man once again. His red bandanna fluttered proudly behind him, adding to the cheerful note his whole being exuded. Sagara was back in the game!

Unfortunately, Sano had a knack for ignoring his surroundings when he was too pleased with himself, something that always came back to hound him. This time the hounding was done in the form of one very angry regime officer with slitted, yellow-glowing eyes and a mean streak around his mouth- at least in Sano's opinion. 

"Watch where you're going, idiot!" the officer sneered at the young man. Sano bristled.

"I was looking the other way. I'm sorry officer."

"I don't like your attitude," the officer said narrowing his eyes.

"What attitude?" Sano asked cockily. Nothing could harm him at the moment. He was armed to the teeth with a kiss from Foxy. 

Well, almost nothing could harm him- except for a series of lightning quick punches he didn't even see coming. His view adjusted a few seconds after his head stopped spinning and he could actually make out the worried face of Sae. "Are you alright, Sano?" He cleared his ringing head by slowly shaking it from one side to the other.

"I am. But who is that arrogant bastard who got me?"

"His name is Saito Hajime, and he's one of the sharpest Regime officers. He's been to the Camp before, you know, and it's never good to cross him."

Apparently the kitchen was where all the gossip came together.

"So what's this guy's deal? He didn't look so tough to me."

"Well, he got you, didn't he? But they say his real skill is with a sword and- oh, my gosh, the miso soup is burning!" Sae ran off to her pots, one of which spewed black smoke. 

"Sword? What's up with all those swordsmen pullulating from nowhere?" Sano said to himself before resuming his whistling. The creepy guy wasn't going to ruin his mood, and it wasn't like Sagara Sanosuke couldn't take a punch or two! Even though that guy had a mean left hook that had his jaw aching… 

Whistling, he approached some guards working on reconstructing a barrack at the very edge of the Camp village where most of the debris had been cleared away already. Not waiting to be asked he simply lent a hand. Only a few more hours…

Nightfall came agonizingly slowly. Add to that a certain confusion induced by one very daring stupid rooster and a lack of new patients and you had a young female agent who was just itching for someone to make a snide remark so she could give them a good tongue-lashing. Megumi's eyes were scary, glittering with an almost unholy light of confusion, amusement and anger, Kenshin decided and rather quickly went back to sorting the various surgical instruments the physician had sterilized. 

"So, Ken-san, how are you?" All right, she definitely lacked an occupation. 

"Oro? I'm fine, that I am," he replied, keeping his eyes on his task and his _ki_ under tight control. Amber shimmered just beneath the surface of his steely blue eyes. Saito Hajime was lurking about somewhere and he was not going to slip the way he had with Jinei. 

"Well, that is nice to hear… you know what's good for you unlike some really idiot rooster-heads."

He chose not to say anything concerning that topic.

"Honestly, what does he think I am? His personal little Miss Kiss-me? I don't get that guy…"

Kenshin listened, his fingers idly twirling a scalpel back and forth.

"I mean, there he goes and injures himself, tries to be all sophisticated and cool in one, but still is so stupid it hurts… and then it turns out he was just stupid because he helped someone- not that he isn't stupid when he's just walking around… and he gets on my nerves and insults me… and then he asks for my help…"

Kenshin let her talk, his attention focused on the twirling scalpel. If he took out the one guard who patrolled the perimeter where he intended to escape with his group before it could alarm the rest then… 

"I don't want to be rude or anything- but it wouldn't be half bad if he had a brain to go with that attractive looks of- I didn't say this, did I?" The doctor was redder than a tomato. Kenshin smiled. 

"If you prefer it then you didn't say this, that you didn't."

Rubbing the lump on his head he regretted his words. The day was a drag. And it didn't want to end. And it would be good for his health to remember that the rest of the group was as edgy as he was. And he would be able to take out that guard. He would confront him as a distraction while the rest of the group slipped away, take him out with one move and then follow them. Yes, that was a good plan, that it was.

"Oro?" Twirling a scalpel between your fingers while thinking hard about something else resulted in deep cuts… 

Night fell, and Saito still hadn't found any clue whatsoever as to the alleged presence of an infiltrator. The tall officer scowled, his predatory eyes gleaming dangerously as he made a last round through the Camp before everybody retired for the night. Passing by the makeshift hospital area, he idly noticed the man with the bandaged head was missing. Instead, a small redheaded person- with the long hair it was hard to decide whether that character was male or female- argued with the female worker bandaging two fingers on his left hand. Saito watched with something akin to amusement as the person got smacked upon the head by the irate doctor who apparently hadn't liked something the person had said. What a bumbling fool! The officer left them behind as he wandered closer to the outskirts of the Camp village, past a newly erected barrack where he spotted the idiot with the red bandanna hoisting one last beam into place. Ignoring the man since he was a fool he went round the bend in the road, cursing his luck and his superior for having him sent onto such a meaningless task. Saito decided he would take a roundabout way to the kitchen to get some Soba noodles to soothe his nerves. The twins who cooked did a really good job on his favorite food… Suddenly, the officer stopped dead in his tracks. An idea had formed in his mind. Smiling devilishly to himself he continued on his way towards the kitchen. Perhaps he would catch that intruder after all- should he be there. 

*~*

Misao watched the evening star light up on the horizon as she made her way home to the farm together with all the others. Shiro and Kuro were walking in front of her, carrying the heavier equipment, Omasu keeping close to Shiro, her husband, and Omime close to Kuro whom she was engaged to. Okon and she herself were a few steps behind, walking in amiable silence. The older woman had adopted a somewhat motherly role for the girl, wanting to protect her and give her what she assumed Misao had never had.

But I have, Misao thought, when we still were together and our Okashira hadn't decided to ally himself with our enemy. Hannya, Beshimi, Hyottoko- what do you think of s now? We, the proud Oniwabanshu, lost to the eddies and currents of time… but as long as I'm around we will not be dead. I guess I'm the only Oniwabanshu left- so doesn't this make _me_ Okashira? Sure does! And I'm going to recruit a new force- the Oniwabanshu will rise again!

"What kind of face is that, little Misao? You look as if you want to go out and conquer the world!" Okon laughed. Misao smiled brilliantly. 

"You know, Okon- that's what I'm going to do!"

"And how, Misao darling?" Shiro asked, "are you going to threaten them all with a broom?"

"I will use my _kunai_!" the girl blurted.

"_Kunai_?" Omasu asked, "but those are weapons a ninja from Japan would use. How will you use them?" 

"Hey, who knows- our Misao may be a ninja from Japan. After all, we only found her what- four months ago?"

"Yes, all right. If Misao is a ninja then so are you, Omime. And if really think about it- the way you handle your sickle when cutting the wheat… are you sure Okina didn't train you as a ninja?" 

"Okon, stop joking! The day I'm a fighting ninja is the day Okina will stop pining after beautiful young girls, and we all know how likely this is going to happen, ne, Misao?"

"I don't know- perhaps once Jiya finds his true love…"

"Misao, there is no such thing as a 'true love' for my father! Okina is much too… jumpy to have one!"

"And here I thought the farm was your father's true love, Okon."

"Kuro, how long have you been living with us now? And you still don't understand that the one thing my father craves are…" Kuro pouted.

"Omime, my love, I _know_! But one can dream, right?"

Omime laughed, soon joined by the other five. Okina swearing off girls was too funny a concept. 

"Now, let's get home, guys. This ninja for one is a little tired," Okon said once the laughter had died down and the tears of joy had been wiped from their eyes.

"Yes, Okashira!" Omasu, Omime, Shiro and Kuro bowed and started laughing again. The joking and laughing went on all the way home to the farm.

'Yes, Okashira'… I wonder if they would be willing to form the new Oniwabanshu… I wonder if they would be willing to call _me _that…

*~*

The night was dark. Since it was only a few days before the new moon the celestial light of the night wouldn't rise until close to midnight. Kenshin was actually thankful for that. His eyes were accustomed to seeing in the dark, so he stealthily crept along the wall of the barrack he and Sano had rested in for the night. The taller man was right behind him, so close he was breathing down Kenshin's neck, but due to his sight not being so good at night he needed the agent to guide him.

"Miss Kaoru, Yahiko and Miss Megumi should wait for us at the side of their sleeping quarters, that they should," the agent whispered, "hopefully Miss Tae, Miss Sae and Miss Tsubame will have reached them already."

Since three more buildings had been restored that day the workers were once again separated. The escapees had decided to meet at the building Kaoru and Megumi were kept in since it was closest to the edge of the village and the mine. Sano nodded once and tried to creep along as silently as Kenshin, but his larger form and impaired sight made that somewhat difficult. 

"Sano!" Kenshin whispered reproachingly after his companion had once again bumped into some wreckage creating noises that could alert the night patrols to their presence.

"Sorry, Kenshin," Sano whispered back managing to sound sheepish despite the lack of tone in his voice. The two men unobstructedly made their way over to their target destination where six shadowy figures were already huddling close to the walls of the barrack.

"There you are, finally!" This was, of course, Megumi. The six figures huddled closer to the new arrivals. A few packages were distributed equally between the members of the group, having been retrieved earlier from where they had been hidden in the ruins of the neighboring barrack. "Food, clothes and medical supplies," Sae informed Kenshin and Sano. The agent nodded his approval. 

"Thank you, Miss Sae."

"Kenshin, when will we set off? The guard has just marched past, and I'm afraid we will be seen if we stay any longer," Kaoru worried, gripping the arm-long piece of wood she had made into a crude _bokken_ tighter.

"We will go at once, that we will," Kenshin instructed his little group, "please stay close together."

They darted through the wreckage under the expert leadership of the ex-assassin. Kenshin instinctively picked the shortest and most shielded ways through the last remains of the Camp village. His feet made no sound upon the wet earth, and try as they might the others could not imitated his way of becoming a shadow among shadows. The lightless night enveloped them except for the white puffs their breath formed in the starlight since it was near freezing temperature.

Once outside the village Kenshin heaved a sigh of relief and led his group into a small ravine washed out by the vicious thunderstorm two nights before. "From now on to the mine the way should be easier, that it should," he said looking at Yahiko and Tsubame in particular who were both breathing heavily from flushed faces. "There we will slip through the first watch perimeter. The guard has a long stretch of terrain to control so we should get past it no problem. Once we are past the guard, there will be the fence. Sano, you will be the first to go through. Yahiko, Miss Tsubame, you will be second. Then Miss Megumi and Miss Kaoru. Then Miss Tae and Miss Sae. I will follow last. Sano, you will have to stand guard while I retrieve my weapon and the rest of the things I buried." Kenshin had once again adopted a more authoritative tone in his voice and dropped his peculiar repetitive speech patterns. "Are you all set?" Nods from everyone assured him of their readiness. Kenshin got up, eyes glittering in the starlight. "Then we go, that we do."

He set off in a trot towards the looming pit in the darkness that was the mine. The cold was biting at his exposed flesh- he hadn't been able to get his hands onto another shirt, and his was hanging open due to Aoshi's attack the day before. Suppressing the urge to chatter he clenched his teeth determinedly and imagined all the dangers his little group would have to face. Their chances were slim enough without their leader giving their position away with his chattering teeth. Saito could await them. Aoshi could find them. The other two riders could be lurking at the Camp perimeter to stop them. And he was still not in optimal condition. Almost immediately following these thoughts he was rewarded with a rush of adrenaline to his system that managed to chase away the cold. The rugged breathing behind him informed him his companions were still following.

And then the ground abruptly dropped beneath his feet. Holding up a hand he signaled for the group to stop. Waiting a few seconds to get his bearings Kenshin silently surveyed the nightly landscape. The barren tundra seemed even more forbidding when covered in a shroud of darkness. Clouds had started building up in the sky, and from the looks of it there would once again be rain tonight. The moon was beneath the horizon still; only the light of the stars peeking through the racing clouds reflected from the ice that crunched underneath his feet as he carefully picked his way around the mine. Avoiding frozen spots on the ground that could send them hurtling to their death in the seemingly bottomless pit next to them the group followed as silently as possible.

Kaoru clung as tightly to Megumi as she could. In the darkness she couldn't see the bottom of the mine, but just the knowledge that it was indeed a long way down was enough to trigger her fear of heights. The female agent knew of her weakness and supported her the best she could, but still it took all of Kaoru's considerable determination to walk the narrow ledge that surrounded the darkness at her feet. Nervous sweat beaded her brow, she didn't even feel the cutting wind on her body as she tried to overcome her greatest fear. Her heart raced unbearably fast, and only the knowledge that she would sentence seven other people to death if she screamed kept her from doing so. Just when she was sure she would rather give up than walk one more step at the edge of disaster the mine lay behind them and Kenshin had them once again huddle close together behind a line of shrubbery he had remembered to be there. 

"We will wait for the guard to pass before we move on," the agent explained crouching close to the ground.

Minutes passed with only their heartbeats to accompany them. Each member of the group descended into him- or herself, trying to quell the anxiety that grew with every passing second. Tsubame, who looked the most exhausted out of them, leaned against Tae, cradling her shoulder in her good hand with a pained expression on her face. Yahiko squatted next to her, trying to be a reassuring presence yet exuding profound nervousness. Sano had plucked a slim twig from one of the bushes and chewed on it. Sae put her arm around Tsubame and reassuringly stroked the girl's hair. Megumi sat with her head on her knees staring off into space, Kaoru next to her in similar state. Kenshin had stretched one leg before him, the other supported his left arm which cradled his face as he stilled himself enough to be able to react to the slightest sound that did not belong among the normal sounds of the nightly tundra.

The piercing cry of an unfortunate creature falling prey to a predator alerted Kenshin. Quickly scanning his surroundings he found that the guard was already nearby. One finger pressed to his lips he motioned for the others to stay still while he soundlessly moved to the edge of the bushes and tried to catch a glimpse of the guard. The man was standing a little more than thirty feet away, is flashlight trained into the direction from which the cry had sounded barely a second before. Mumbling something about stupid animals the guard took to patrolling once again. Kenshin hid himself deeper in the bushes again. Holding their collective breaths the group watched the cone of light from the guard's flashlight move along the bushes. Closing his eyes so that they would neither be blinded nor reflect the light Kenshin counted off the seconds the guard took for walking past their hiding place. "I don't know why they still want us to patrol… we've got the fence… and with the new big shots here those damn vermin would be really stupid to try and escape!" 

Sano glared into the darkness. Vermin? If only he could show that bastard who exactly was vermin… Megumi's and on his arm calmed him down somewhat. The foxy lady had the same kind of righteous anger in her eyes, but shook her head when Sano clenched his fists. It was as though she wanted to tell him that one wasn't worth it… 

Tsubame nestled deeper into the space between Tae and Sae, hiding her face from the light that appeared blinding after the near total darkness only moments before. Yahiko sat behind the three women, scowling. The guard's words had hit a nerve with the youngster, but he wasn't going to jeopardize their future by lashing out. 

Once he could no longer detect any sign of the flashlight Kenshin counted to twenty before getting up. With one signal of his hand he led the seven escapees on a mad dash towards the barbed-wire fence that circumfered Camp Freedom. Blindly trusting his memory he skimmed his hands along the sharp metal, creating a rattling sound which could be attributed to the wind. After a few moments' breathless anxiety he found what he had been searching for: a small metal clasp holding the part of the fence he had sliced before together. Pulling on it with all the strength his fingers could muster he wrenched it free.

Sano didn't even wait for his signal before he slipped through the narrow slit that had opened in the unyielding metal meshes. Helping Yahiko and Tsubame, Sae and Tae and Miss Kaoru didn't prove to be a problem for the tall fighter, but once he touched the foxy lady he began to tremble. Well, of course the agent had to sway her hips seductively against the palm of his bandaged right hand. Sano was downright grateful when she was past the obstacle and only Kenshin remained. Checking one last time that nobody was around, relying on his eyes, ears and sense of smell as well as his _ki_-sensing abilities the agent finally nimbly slipped into freedom himself. Moving at a speed that made him a blur to the eyes of his companions Kenshin once again took the lead, this time only guiding the seven ex-workers fifty feet into the terrain before stopping again. "Wait here. I'll get the rest of our supplies. Sano, make sure nobody comes near you." 

Once assured his group was as safe as they would be Kenshin moved another twenty feet until he reached a small hill topped by a dead bush. This was the landmark he had set foe himself, the landmark beneath which supplies, his weapon and a pistol for Megumi was buried. Dropping to his knees he uprooted the bush and began scratching at the frozen earth. Thankfully it was still almost as loose as when he had first heaped it on top of his precious supplies, so unearthing his hidden stash wouldn't damage his hands. Digging deeper he created a heap of soil next to him. His fingers were nearly frozen by the time he finally touched the cloth of one of the cloaks he had wrapped the weapons and food in. Giving it a mighty pull he managed to get it out of the earth, showering himself in chunks of frozen clay and stones. Somehow, the package seemed heavier than it should… dread filling his stomach the agent pulled the cloth open to reveal…

… stones. Nothing but stones. Realization hit him the same moment the sound of gloved hands clapping reached his ears. He frantically cast looks around in the darkness but it wasn't until the blinding brightness of a portable searchlight assaulted his sensitized eyes that he could discern where the unknown foe had hidden himself. He half heard the cry of surprise coming from the members of his group, and the leaden feeling in his heart that he had failed froze him in place.

"Great work, Battousai. I didn't think you would make it this far when accompanied by the likes of this bumbling rooster. I commend you- you have really hidden yourself well. Even though I saw you twice I didn't recognize you until much later. But it seems your stroke of luck has run out… I have caught you. Oh, and I think you were looking for that, weren't you?" Kenshin deftly caught his weapon as it was thrown at him. "I am, however, not heartless. I didn't kill your dear companions though it would have been a matter of seconds, and I have decided to give you a chance. Fight me and win, and you may walk free."

Kenshin clasped his right hand tightly across the hilt of his sword, his weapon of choice, the weapon he had adopted six months earlier. The one weapon he could truly fight with to the best of his abilities and not be in danger of breaking the vow he had made upon the death of his partner, the vow never to kill again.

"Oh, and I suggest you flip the blade of that ridiculous sword of yours right away or you won't stand a snowball's chance in hell against my Gatotsu."

The agent just silently glared at his antagonist. His body was tense like a bowstring drawn to snapping point. His eyes were fixated on every move the Regime officer made as he slid into his trademark Gatotsu stance.

"No! Don't fight!" Kaoru's voice broke the strained silence. "I don't want you to get hurt!"

Kenshin didn't listen. Kaoru's voice had snapped the restraints his opponent had placed upon himself. Hurtling at Kenshin with unbelievable speed, blade extended along the length of his outstretched left arm, right arm trailing behind to give him a greater balance and maneuverability Saito attacked. Left with no choice Kenshin evaded the only way he could- by taking to the air. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu – Ryu Tsui Sen!"

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu?" Yahiko wondered, wide-eyed at the display of skill before his eyes. 

"Unbelievable," Megumi muttered, "it's even more astonishing when seen live." 

"Hell, why did Kenshin never tell me he could do _that_?" grumbled Sano, unconsciously clenching and unclenching his bandaged fist.  

"Anti-air Gatotsu!"

The spell was broken as Saito suddenly stopped his forward movement to crouch his body into a stance that looked as though he were about to leap into the air as well. Thrusting right up with his weapon he met his mark just as Kenshin descended from the apex of his leap. Blood showered the Regime officials face and he shook the agent's shocked and limp body off his weapon. Panting, Kenshin landed painfully on his back.

"Kenshin's not healed yet," Kaoru whispered in horror. Quickly deciding what she could do she jumped in front of the agent lying limply on the frosty ground. 

"You won't kill him," she declared boldly, facing Saito without a sliver of fear or doubt in her.

"Move her out of the way, Battousai," was the Regime officer's only reply.

"No, I won't move," Kaoru insisted, "Kenshin's hurt and can't fight you. Leave him alone!"

"It's alright," came a strained voice from behind her. "I'm alright." A hand touched her shoulder. Kaoru turned around to find Kenshin looking at her with eyes that were glowing amber. A thin trail of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. Without hesitation he pushed her aside, not roughly, but none too gently either. With a surprised gasp Kaoru landed midway between her friends and the two antagonists. 

"Come on, Saito." Kenshin's voice was colder and more ominous than ever before. 

"Whoa!" Sano exclaimed at the transformation. Megumi shuddered. 

"That's him. That's the man from the legends told in the Agency. The Battousai. Colder than the Antarctic, faster than lightning, ruthless… I couldn't believe it until I saw it."

At the edges of his consciousness Battousai felt the anxiousness his friends were exuding. He hadn't lost himself in the cold rage, the adrenaline rush and the moment as before, but his senses were heightened nonetheless and he knew he was more the manslayer he had been six months ago than the friendly, clumsy men these people were used to. But there was no choice. He had to end this fight as fast as possible, or else they would be the ones to suffer.

Saito attacked once again with his trademark attack. Battousai raised his weapon to block before evading the following slash by dropping into a crouch and stabbing at Saito from below. The Regime officer jumped back, giving him an icy glare from yellow eyes. Amber clashed against it, and then the fight was really on. Moving faster than the eye could follow the two swordsmen danced around each other in the deadly waltz of close combat, neither having enough time to pull off any special technique. This was fighting at its purest.

Battousai felt his chest constrict further and further. His bruised ribcage had become agonized once again when Saito had slammed the hilt of his sword into his sternum. He had to act now.

Putting all his strength into a burst of speed the agent gained enough distance from his opponent to use one of his most dangerous techniques. The Regime man recognized the danger the instant it arose and dropped into a Gatotsu stance unfamiliar to Battousai. Nonetheless, the agent chose to attack. In a flash, he was in front of Saito again, lashing out with his sword pulled from its scabbard in his lightning quick Battoujutsu. Saito blocked it and the following _saya_ with his own weapon and scabbard but couldn't block the leaping kick the agent threw at him once he had realized his attack had failed. Before he could gather his wits again another Battoujutsu was executed and the blade of Kenshin's peculiar weapon hit the back of Saito's neck with enough force to make the officer drop to the ground like a stone. He remained still. Raising his weapon Battousai was about to make sure that he would remain like this forever. I don't carry responsibility for me alone. I have to kill him!

_Finis._

_Just kidding. The story will go on… so keep reading and reviewing!_

**Natsuko**_: I'll help you chase the plot bunnies. I think my crutches are pretty good for that! And I would be honored if you want to advertise SL *blushes and catches little fluffy pink plot bunny*. There you go- for romance! *grins* I'm sorry to say the wait for the next chapter will be one whole week again since I'm going back to my internship and SSS full force next week. Thank you sooo much for worrying about me *huggles Natsuko*_

**moomoo**_: I broke my ankle while trying to evade an attack at a fencing tournament. Messed it up pretty good- shattered one bone, broke the other in half and snapped two tendons. No walking for another eight weeks. _

_As to learning Japanese: I'm planning to start doing so in half a year, together with Portuguese. I still need time to get comfortable with Italian and Spanish, and I am not capable of learning more than two new languages at a time. I'm accused of starting to speak Esperanto because I make a horrible mix out of five languages already… so I'm not going to mix in a sixth until I have at least partially cleared up the mess in my head._

**lebleuphenix**_: No new characters… but more Saito. And I'm not going to be this stupid **ever** again! *promises* I feel so much better when reading from you *is about to cry from joy*_

**Dragowolf**_: Not very much Misao in this one, I'm afraid- but more in the upcoming chapters, I promise. In fact, the next chapter…_

_Yasai: Don't tell!_

_*grins* My muse won't let me spill the beans what will happen in the next chapter *sniff*. But I promise Misao **and** Aoshi._

**Darkening**_: Are you a statistic fan? Well, I try to make every chapter around 5 000 words. And I don't know whether I will finish before next year… with my life anything could happen. Hell, my parents and little brother are moving to New Zealand next year!_

**Brenna**_: Thank you ever so much for your encouragement. And yes, I am on pain medication since shattered bones are not really feeling good (and since I got my crutches I am hitting my leg on everything. I swear, I'm clumsier than Rurouni!)... _

**@all**_: Thanks for reading. I hope you had a nice trip… and why don't you check out my new story, **Romancing the King**__, while waiting for me to update???_

_Yasai: Definitely worth your time. I was involved in writing it. Oh, and before I drop off screen please feed me and review!!!_

_Ever hungry muse she is… I got to go, so Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	10. Chapter 9 Sulfur springs and farm life

_Ciao!!!_

_You know what's funny?_

_Yasai: No. But you'll tell me in a second._

_Well, I think what's funny is that my spellcheck keeps insisting I change 'Battousai' into 'bathhouse'._

_Yasai: O_O So it's the attack of the evil bathhouse now..._

_All right, this is going too far. Enjoy the story!!!_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 9 Sulfur springs and farm life 

"No! Don't!" Kaoru's voice was shrill with panic and so high-pitched it resembled a bird's cry. "Don't kill him. You know you really don't want to do this!" Tears fell from her beautiful sapphire eyes as she helplessly watched the agent she had come to associate with safety and warmth turn into an ice-cold killer. While the display of his fighting skills had been frightening enough the way he was carrying himself now was downright terrifying. Murdering a downed man in cold blood... it was impossible for Kaoru to behold. Yet Kenshin's quivering weapon was raised above his head, its downward strike certain to sever Saito's head from the body. The girl's tears dropped to the ground in a steady river of starlit pearls, her hands reaching out in a futile attempt to stop the agent from becoming his own nightmare. The way Megumi-and her father as well- had talked about Battousai she was sure the gentle and caring young man she had met didn't want to be like that, not anymore. His amber eyes were glowing with a light of their own that did not stem from the yellow glow of the searchlight. Kaoru was shaken to the core when they briefly swept over her.

"If you choose to kill him you might as well kill us right afterwards. I know we will be hunted by every man in the country- but some of these men will not be very motivated, which is our chance to escape. Should you, however, cause the dead of one of their own...I think the bloodhounds would be more merciful than Regime soldiers on the hunt. Battousai, please apply the logic you are famous for and let the man live. He deserves to die, as much as anyone you ever killed. But right now he is of no imminent danger to us. Perhaps the shame of losing his duel will even keep him quiet for some time. This is our chance. We still have so far to go- don't ruin it all now. You are known as a strategic genius. Think!"

Megumi had steeped forward as the words poured from her mouth. Recalling everything she remembered about the assassin-agent called Battousai from her short time in the Agency she tried to reach the core of logical thinking that had to reside within the instinct-driven man before her. Amber eyes fastened on her for a short glance before they turned back to his helpless prey. At least he had heard her...

The tip of the strange, long sword quivered more violently now. Then, with a movement so lightning fast and precise it startled the seven people watching in trembling anticipation it was sheathed- but not before a tiny flick of the right wrist cleared imagined drops of blood from the blade. Head bowed the agent stood in front of his fallen opponent. His right fist, which had rested upon the hilt of his sword, clenched so tightly that every sinew and knuckle stood in stark white contrast against the skin reddened from the cold.

Whirling around the agent faced his friends and protégés with cobalt blue eyes of amber-flecked steel. Blinking once, they turned softer, deeper in color. "In one point you were wrong, Miss Megumi. Nobody deserves to die. Those I killed didn't deserve to die. I killed because I had to, because I wanted to avoid people like you safe from terrors such as the Camp. But they didn't deserve to die, that they didn't."  With that, friendly delft-blue and violet returned into the agent's saddened and weary gaze. His stance faltered and his shoulders dropped down as he relinquished his guarded tension and relaxed battered muscles.

"You're back..." Kaoru's voice held the remainder of her helpless tears and shook with the aftereffects of the fear she had experienced. Her feet moved on their own account as she rushed to Kenshin's side. He smiled at her with his lips, a gesture making her feel safe again even though his eyes didn't reflect the smile but retained their haunted look. "I'm glad..."

She stood in front of him, one hand stretched out to reach his shoulder, torn between the desire to slap him for his foolishness and to embrace him with all the warmth she could give since he looked so lost. Her eyes were the color of the sky and reflecting all the stars above in their tear-misted state. The agent had the fleeting impression an angel had descended from the heavens to be his guiding light.

"What kind of sword is that? It looks strange!"

"Oro?" Yahiko had cautiously approached the agent and the girl, feeling uneasy until recognition that the agent wasn't going to go on a rampage had settled in. Then he couldn't curb his curiosity any more and had somehow managed to snatch the agent's weapon from where it hung on his hip. Pulling the blade out of the _saya bewilderment reflected on his face. Kenshin tore his gaze from the enticing sight of the angel in front of him and fastened it on the boy studying his sword with rapt fascination._

"It's not sharp!" Yahiko exclaimed. 

"It's a sakabatou. A reverse-bladed sword, that it is." Kenshin explained.

"But you can't kill anyone when you use it like a normal sword!" The boy was puzzled.

"That's the sense behind it, that it is."

"But-"

"Yahiko. I don't think we have time for discussions right now! We have to leave. We have been here far too long already. What if someone sees us?" Tae was fidgeting nervously and twisting the fabric of her sleeve between her fingers. 

"Tae's right... sorry to say so kid, but Kenshin's gotta get us away from here now. I smell that guard who passed us earlier returning."

"You smell guards? And here I thought a chicken had an underdeveloped sense of smell... regardless, Tae has a point here. Kenshin, tell us where to run to." Megumi brushed off Sano's bristling as though it were nothing. She truly had a talent to antagonize him- but so had he with her. Brightly burning the memory of how he had kissed her returned to her, and blushing a deep red she almost missed out on Kenshin's answer.

"I have already gotten my bearings, that I have. We need to straight westwards for about a day, then turn southwest. Perhaps we should travel at night and hide during the day, that we- that we should." The agent hoped no one had taken notice of the slight faltering in his speech. A dizzy spell had hit him, he knew he had exerted himself in the fight with the Regime officer, but he also knew they had to move as quickly as possible. By his estimates chances were they would all be found and killed if they didn't manage to leave Regime territory within a week's time. There was no rest for him... but he had accepted that when he had proposed the mission, hadn't he?

"The let's go!" Sano shouted slamming his fists together only to be silenced by reproaching looks from Sae, Tae, Tsubame and Megumi. "Let's go," he repeated, more quiet.

Kenshin collected his body into a more energetic-seeming pose. "This way," he instructed them quietly, setting off at a convenient pace that injured little Tsubame would be able to keep up with. Kaoru silently followed him, watching absently as his red hair that seemed gray in the darkness of the night swished back and forth across his back. He didn't turn round to look at Saito, so she did. The Regime officer was lying motionlessly in the pool of yellow light emitted by the battery-powered portable searchlight that had illuminated their fight. For a moment the girl thought she saw it reflecting off equally yellow eyes, but she shrugged it off as a hallucination caused by her fears. There was simply no way the man could be conscious already after having received a blow like this.

Not quite able to shake the uneasy feeling of being watched Kaoru hurried to catch up to Kenshin again. 

It wasn't until three hours into their travel that Kenshin allowed them to rest for the first time. He simply stopped walking and gestured towards a group of conveniently sized boulders off the track they had chosen. Dropping down against one of them himself he let his shoulders slump. Traveling through the tundra at night wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Even though the terrain was fairly even there were pitfalls where the ground had split open from the forces of wind, frost and water. Stones too small to be seen caused their feet to stumble and the thorns and thin, scratchy twigs of the shrubbery that managed to survive in the harsh climate tore at their clothes and scratched their skin. Still, they had endured everything in silence. Along the way, Tsubame's strength had given out and Sano had taken to carrying her on his back, earning him a smile from Megumi, which she quickly covered up with one of her foxy looks. 

"We've come a fair distance, that we have," Kenshin spoke up in a hushed whisper, "but it's not far enough yet, that it isn't. If they send out the dogs they will find us too soon, that they will."

"Once they send the dogs after us they will find us no matter what," Tae stated calmly tending to Tsubame's shoulder which had developed a nasty swelling. 

"There is a swamp not far from here that is nurtured by hot sulfur springs, that there is. If we reach it and go into it the dogs will be useless since their noses will be overpowered by the smell, that they will." Kenshin's eyes, visible in the pale light of the rising moon had taken on a faraway look as he tried to recollect how far from the Camp the swamp had been, how far they had come and what distance they would still have to cross before reaching temporary refuge.  

"A... a _swamp? One in which _snakes_ live?" Strange how a simple word like 'swamp' could put a little crack into Megumi's unfaltering countenance. _

"Oro? I don't think there are any snakes there, that I don't."

"Oh, well... I just hope the sulfur doesn't ruin my hair. After all, I managed to keep it intact all that time in the Camp and it would be a shame if I would ruin it now." Megumi's light tone reappeared, and everyone blamed it on the lack of adequate lighting that two small, triangular shadows became visible on top of her head.

"I have heard that sulfur springs are good for the skin," Sae volunteered. She felt the tension in the air, the tension that would make them explode if not somehow released, and what was better than a discussion of something utterly trivial when one wanted to relieve tension?

"Oro? I don't think we will have the time to take baths in the swamp, that we won't... and I don't want you to drown in he bottomless pools, Miss Sae, that I don't." Kenshin didn't really understand what was going on with the women, but then he was too tired to apply his _ki_-sensing skills to them right now. "We should rest for half an hour now, that we should. I will keep watch so you can sleep." 

"But what about you? You are injured and you had to fight Saito!" Kaoru protested.

He ignored the grainy feeling behind his eyelids and the throbbing of the wound in his side. "I am alright, that I am. I will rest when we have reached the swamp."

"But Saito...." Kaoru started.

"Me? Rest? But not before I have tended to your injuries, Ken-san." Megumi's sharp voice showed she hadn't forgotten what had happened in the fight. 

"Thank you, Miss Megumi," Kenshin said quietly. He slipped out of his shirt, wincing slightly when he had to tear it from where it had stuck to the slash in his side. 

Some balm and a roll of bandages later the physician retired. Slumping against a boulder she fell asleep before she even recognized it. Kenshin smiled and perched himself atop the highest erratic block, silently staring into the night. He would cut it close by allowing them half an hour of rest, he feared it would likely be too close, but then he couldn't have them stumble along in a state of semi-consciousness. That would provoke too many injuries, which would slow them down even more than this half an hour. Senses on full alert he kept up his silent vigil until it was time to awake his companions again.

Sanosuke's soft snoring stopped the instant he touched him. Kenshin nodded to the tall fighter who started shaking Tae, Sae and Tsubame awake immediately. Megumi didn't need a wakeup-call. Her training as an agent included the ability to sleep for a certain period of time and automatically awake once it had expired. She softly shook Kaoru, who mumbled something about not wanting to go to school today before jolting into full awareness with a gasp. Once everyone was ready they set off once again, Kenshin in the lead, Sano bringing up the rear. The moon had risen high into the sky by now, and even though it was only a small sliver of silver, very much like the blade of a _katana_ it gave enough light to make traveling less stressful.

The faint odor of rotten eggs hanging in the air was the first sign they were nearing the swamp Kenshin had been talking about. Kaoru was close to heaving a sigh of relief when she caught it. Since their short rest they had been walking without a pause, and now dawn was already near. Kenshin's steps had not once faltered. Nor had he increased or decreased their pace. If she hadn't known better she would have thought he was a robot disguised as Kenshin. Now, however, he halted and turned around to the rest of his group who had staggered to an abrupt halt in order to avoid a collision.

"We are nearly there," he said, his voice betraying his exhaustion, "however, we're going to have to run. There are a few soldiers not far behind us, and I have no doubt they have brought along the dogs, that I haven't." He seemed to grow smaller, wearier at his words.

"We're going to escape. We're not going to be caught now," Kaoru said, touching his shoulder reassuringly. He smiled brightly. 

"Thank you, Miss Kaoru." His energy seemed to have returned at the show of confidence from his companions.

He didn't show any signs of the nervousness that possessed him while he hurried them along at breakneck speed. Restraining himself from going too fast he still forced his group to go beyond their limit. The world shrunk down around them, centered only around their ragged breathing, the fire in their lungs and the sting in their sides as they ran across the open, barren, frozen plain that lay before what Kenshin knew was their salvation. He could practically hear the dogs breathing down their necks when they finally reached the first bogholes reeking of sulfur. Slowing down so as not to fall prey to the treacherous ground of the swamp they picked their way along steaming sulfur ponds whose edges were rimmed yellow with the mineral's sedimentary deposition. 

The sun rose when Kenshin decided they had gone far enough. Choosing a small island of soggy ground covered with any variety of the various monocotyledonous, often tufted marsh plants of the family Juncaceae- also known under the common name rush- he asked the group to rest while they could. Their little place, although not really comfortable because of the acrid smell that burned in their nostrils was sheltered and as secure as they would get. Everyone gladly took the opportunity to relay sore limbs, the women and Yahiko immersing their feet into the hot water of the neighboring spring, the men simply lying on their back watching the gray sky lighting gradually up. 

"How'd you know your way around here, Kenshin?" Sano asked lazily.

"I came through here when I went scouting before my infiltration of the Camp," the agent replied, his voice as weary as his body.

"D'you remember everything you've seen?" The ends of the red bandanna held a certain fascination to them since Sano studied them so intensely when he asked his question.

"Yes, I do…" Kenshin answered softly. "Every place, every face, every time…"

"Ya know- I'd get a headache from that."

"I often do. From that, and… other things."

"I'm glad I forgot some things- even though it's kinda hard to forget I was put into that Camp because some of your kind goofed. But hey- I met Foxy!"

Kenshin chuckled. "There's a sense behind everything for you, isn't there?"

Snoring was all that answered him. "Isn't there?" he repeated to himself before allowing his eyes to drop shut for just a few minutes of semi-slumber.

*~*

Misao snuck out of the house at the crack of dawn. She had a craving for a nice, thorough soaking without Jiya trying to peep or the girls wanting to use the bathroom for themselves. The only way to get this, though was a two-hour hike into the sulfur swamp where the farm people had found her. She had her own little spring there, a place as beautiful as it could get in the harsh environment of noxious fumes and stinking puddles.

Happily dancing along the path the farm people had worn into the ground Misao practiced a few of her self-defense moves by jumping and twisting. Soon, she broke into a run, repeating all the techniques Hannya had taught her, throwing imaginary _kunai_ at targets she chose from the shrubbery. Panting and sweating but with a smile on her face that rivaled the early morning sun in its brilliance she arrived at the edge of the swamp. From now on she took it in leaps and jumps, twisting her elastic and agile body around to evade attacks from phantom opponents in midair. 

Finally, she stopped as she had arrived at a particularly dense growth of the sturdy marsh plants and creeping vines that replaced the tundra bushes as shrubbery. Behind that hedge lay her secret place, her bathtub so to speak. It had a very minute concentration of sulfur in it, making it more akin to fresh water than the acidic fluids of most of the other springs, and since there was no volcanic funnel to be found in a radius of fifty feet the stench was bearable as well.

Misao hummed a soft tune to herself, a song she only recognized as the French national anthem after she was halfway through. Concentrating very hard for a second or two she tried to remember the words, and as soon as she had her voice rang louder and clearer through the wilderness. 

"_Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides_

_L'opprobre de tous les partis_

_Tremblez! vos projets parricides_

_Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix!_

_Tout est soldat pour vous combattre_

_S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros_

_La France en produit de nouveaux,_

_Contre vous tout prêts à se battre. Aux armes__..." She had arrived at the fourth stanza by the time her shirt was slipped over her head. Remembering the time she had learned the words to the Marseillaise she sang on with a little less fervor._

It had been the fourteenth of July, and the Oniwabanshu had taken her on her first mission to Paris. She had been eight years old at that time, a little spy-in-training and small enough to fit through the smoke and heat venting system of the building they wanted to infiltrate. While she crawled through the narrow tubes in the ceilings the marching band outside had played the song... 

She finished undressing, her swimsuit the only article of clothing still on her sixteen year-old body. One never knew whether Jiya was around... Goosebumps on her shivering arms were a really good incentive to get into the water as fast as she could. It felt like all her body heat was sucked out of her at the moment. "Here I come!" she shouted, preparing to jump into the wonderfully warm spring. She was glad she had decided to peek around the bushes first. 

She was not alone. There were eight motionless bodies lying on the shore. The faded beige-white of their threadbare clothes signified to her the danger she was in. They were fugitives from the Camp that was rumored to be nearby. Looking starved and injured they seemed to have collapsed where they had stood, the few bundles of... stuff they were carrying strewn as carelessly around as hey themselves were. 

Perhaps they have something of value... the girl thought creeping up on them. She used her ninja skills, unrefined as they were due to lack of training to hide herself, to appear like she was one of the plants, or a little rodent scurrying around on the ground.

The bundles only held some moldy bread, herbs and bandages. But there was something else that caught her eye. Next to the woman whose long, red hair splayed over her face hiding it from view lay a positively ancient and valuable looking sword. Misao had never in all of her life seen a real _katana_, the closest to that being the smaller _kodachi_ her beloved Aoshi used, but she knew they were rare and expensive. 

She crawled over to the redhead. A small, penniless woman like her- even though she was most likely taller than her, Misao acknowledged with a grimace- could not have legal ownership of such a thing... it had to have been stolen from the Regime, had to be government property... Her fingers touched the cool, smooth hilt. Now she only had to get away. 

"EEEEP!" 

The other seven people jumped to their feet at her cry. So they weren't dead after all... Misao wriggled frantically trying to free her wrist that was trapped in the vise-like grip of the red haired _man with the angry gray-blue eyes. _

"Let- me- gooooo!" she cried. A flock of birds, roused by the ruckus, took to flight creating even more noise. The redhead looked even more worried and angry at that. 

"Who are you? Trying to steal Kenshin's sword... you thug!" A young woman with black hair and blue eyes was screeching at her. In her hands she held a sturdy stick that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and she threatened to give unfortunate little Misao a good whacking with it.

"Don't! I thought- I thought you were dead... and since you came from a Camp I thought you had stolen the sword. Please let me go!" Time for some theatralic tears... acting was a skill the girl had to perfect in her line of work. Success of her technique was immediate. The man who held her wrist loosened his grasp, and with a sudden twist Misao was free to dart away- or so she thought. A hand grabbed her by the back of her swimsuit.

"No, you don't. Hey, how'd you know we were from a Camp?" The hand belonged to a very disreputable looking young man with brown hair that stood straight up and resembled a cockscomb with its wild spikes. 

"You're wearing the clothes of the workers there. And you don't look very healthy." Misao didn't even know why she was talking to the strangers. But perhaps something in their weary, dirty faces convinced her they were not bad but some of the innocents the Regime chose to intern for its own reasons.

"What are we going to do with her, Ken-san? She has seen us. She could be a spy. We should incapacitate her."

The red-haired man whose name was something along the lines of 'Ken' or 'Kenshin'- since both names had been used Misao wasn't certain which one was right- dropped down onto the floor in a sitting position again. 

"Sit down. I know she is a spy, but she's not one for the Regime if my memory serves me correctly. She's one of Aoshi's Oniwabanshu, a partner group of our Agency."

"Oniwabanshu?" Seven voices asked in unison but were drowned by the excited shout from Misao. "You know my Aoshi-sama? Where is he?" 

Kenshin tried to ward of the onslaught by frantically waving his hands in the air to calm them all. "Maa, maa... the Oniwabanshu were a group of spies not unlike our field agents..."

"And what about Aoshi-sama? Where is he? Is he alright? Did he survive? Have they caught him?" 

"Oro...." Kenshin was helpless against the full force of Misao's energy when it was focused on him as the focal point for her greatest obsession.

"Who is Aoshi, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked while Sano and Megumi restrained Misao from pouncing on their helpless leader. 

"I will tell you later, Miss Kaoru, that I will," he tried to stall.  

"Oi! Don't tell me he's the guy who scratched you- you know, creepy ice-blue eyes, tall, _very silent?" Sano blurted, remembering the look Kenshin had thrown the retreating figure of that particular man._

"Oro... well, he is," the agent conceded. He couldn't lie if his life were on stake, he knew that, so he just told the truth and hoped for the best.

"You've met him? You've met my Aoshi-sama? Where is he now? Please, tell me everything!" Misao looked at Kenshin with huge pleading aqua green eyes. "Please?" 

Kenshin sighed, but before he could start to speak he stiffened. "We need to get out of here, that we do," he said quietly, in a deep voice that sounded slightly worried. 

"What is it, Kenshin?" Tae asked. Tsubame was asleep again, watched over by Sae and Yahiko so the cook was free to join the conversation. 

"Soldiers. They are searching for us and signaling each other where to go with those." He pointed to the columns of smoke drifting into the gray-blue sky not too far away. "If we don't move on they will find us!"

"They are close..." Megumi worried. Misao beamed at them.

"You know, I think you can hide on the farm. Jiya won't object, and I will be able to get my information on Aoshi-sama!" 

"Farm?" Kaoru asked. She instinctively trusted the younger girl, but on a farm there usually was more than one person, and she wasn't too sure if she could trust them.

"It's where I live. Don't worry, they're nice people. They took me in when I was lost wandering the land while searching for my Aoshi-sama. They don't really like the Regime, so you should be safe."

"I say we risk it," Tae spoke up, "Tsubame needs a bed to rest in for a while..."

"I love farm food," Sano said.

"I think it's our only option, isn't it, Ken-san?" Megumi sighed. Kenshin nodded.

"The follow me!" Misao cried, snatching her clothes from the vines and dressing up again. Sano took the sleeping Tsubame into his arms, and they set off behind their guide, whose braid was swishing across her back in rhythm to a tune that sounded suspiciously like the Ode to Joy, only with the name of 'Aoshi' inserted instead of 'joy'. 

*~*

Saito stood next to his silent companion in front of a blubbering sulfur spring at the edge of the swamp. "They went in here," he stated flatly, lighting the cigarette in his hands with a lighter drawn from the depths of one of his uniform pockets. "I don't think they have crossed it completely yet. If we hurry we will catch them on the far side."

Shinomori Aoshi nodded, studying the tracks once more. "Battousai is injured from your fight," he said, "he is favoring his right side." 

"He is a fool to think he will get away with this," Saito snorted, "he has become a weakling."

"Yet he got you good enough that I found you half frozen to death and unconscious," Aoshi mentioned offhandedly.

"That was a lucky shot. I didn't expect him to move so fast. I held back because I wanted our fight to last." Saito seemed unconcerned by his close brush with death. After all, he was the man who had gotten the nickname 'the wolf' because he survived next to everything- just like the lean predator of the tundra did.

"A lasting fight? It seems we both have our grudges against Battousai. He has bested me once too often." Aoshi offered in a rare moment of opening up slightly. Saito didn't remark but only inhaled deeply before throwing his cigarette to the ground where it sizzled out in a pool of rotten yellow water. 

"Let's go. We have quite a distance to ride" 

Aoshi and Saito walked back to where the rest of their men waited for the two officers to return. "Move! We will go around this swamp!" Saito bellowed. The soldiers moved with practiced efficiency, dousing cigars and cigarettes, stowing away packets of playing cards and standing at attention within a few seconds earning them a slight nod from their commanding officers.  

They remounted their horses, which were swifter and more agile than cars or jeeps in the wayless tundra and thus more suited for the chase. The dogs on their leashes barked eagerly, hungry for the blood of the fugitives. Saito gave the signal and off they were, two officers and twenty-five men tracking eight tired people... 

*~*

"And here we are already!" Misao beamed as she skipped up the driveway into the courtyard of Okina's farm. Behind her, the fugitive Camp workers shuffled along, too spent to react to her cheerful introduction to her home. "Jiya! I'm ho-ome!" Misao called.

"Mi-sa-o!" An old man came out of the house's front door, a stern look on his wrinkled face. "Misao, you ran off again. That means- punishment!" 

Before the bewildered eyes of the little group the man suddenly leaped at Misao, mercilessly tickling the girl until she breathlessly begged to be released. Finally he stopped, leaving her doubled over from laughter, her face flushed a bright pink.

"And who might you be?" he turned to the silent observers.

"We-" Megumi started.

"They are friends I met on the way. This is Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke, Megumi, Yahiko, Tsubame, Tae and Sae, Jiya," Misao chirped as each of them nodded when their respective names were called. Kenshin had stepped back behind Megumi, half hiding from view since he wanted to study and assess the situation first without attracting too much attention- which his unusual looks always did. 

"Friends from a less then friendly place, I think," the old man stated, warily eying the strangers' clothes. "You had better have a good reason why I should run the risk of accepting eight fugitives from Camp Freedom into my house."

"Aw, come on, Jiya!" Misao pouted. A hand landed on her shoulder from behind, strong, slender and long-fingered with noticeable calluses on the fingers and palm.

"Misao, he is right, that he is. Thank you for guiding us so far. We will move on now, that we will. I just hope you won't tell the authorities about us, that I do." Kenshin's low voice bore no grudge, only weary acceptance. "Jiya-dono, please excuse our intrusion on your property. We will be leaving now, that we will." 

Okina inhaled sharply when the small man with the red hair had suddenly stepped to the front. He had a feeling he knew him, and when the man raised his gaze to meet his eyes while he apologized he knew his feelings were right. The angry red scar on the man's left cheek gave him completely away. 

"That will not be necessary. Misao, I think we hide them best underneath our barn. There is a storage room there which will suit your needs, I hope. Welcome to my farm, Himura Battousai!"

... to be continued ... 

_Yuppieh! Misao and the rest finally meet!_

_Yasai: But you still haven't had Aoshi meet her._

_I know. Next chapter... Oh! My beta reader insisted I include a translation of the fourth stanza of the Marseillaise since it's more ancient French than usually learned at school. I wanted to just leave it at that. But my beta is the ultimate force, so here it is, translated to the best of Chibi's abilities:_

**_Tremble, tyrants and traitors  
The shame of all good men  
Tremble! Your parricidal schemes  
Will receive their just reward  
Against you we are all soldiers  
If they fall, our young heroes  
France will bear new ones  
Ready to join the fight against you_**

_Okay, this is what the French words mean... I think. _

_Yasai: Now Chibi's got to say goodbye once again- she's got a date…_

_Yasai, you were not supposed to give **that** away… but I really have to hurry or I'll be late so Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan and her muse Yasai_


	11. Chapter 10 Past and Present

_Ciao!!!_

_Since I am limited in physical activity I have found the time to rewatch the Shishio episodes- and have finally found out what's been bothering me about Yumi's theme (you know, when she goes to help Shishio). I know it really well! It's the second movement of a famous Beethoven sonata called Pathétique, and I once knew how to play it (has been a few years since I played that piece, but it's entirely great. If you can, go and listen to all three movements!). Of course I had to go and relearn it, and  now it's one of my favorite pieces to play. My piano teacher is by the way really hyped that I broke my ankle: I'm practicing a lot more. He's even going to let me study my favorite piece in the world now: the Waldstein Sonata by L.v. Beethoven (Who incidentally is my fav composer). The third movement is likely to strain my wrist (Why? Well, you have to play a trill with two fingers of your right hand while the rest play the melody and the left hand races up and down the keyboard. Can't imagine that? OK. Only for the right hand: tap your thumb and index finger really fast against something hard and flat. Then, at the same time, alternately press down with your middle-, ring-and pinky finger while stretching them out as far as can go. Got a cramp already? OK. Now imagine doing that while there's resistance... ) so I have to train it now- by typing and listening to what I will play!_

_Thus, this chapter has been written with those two pieces as background music. Read it listening to them!_

_"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I  think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

Chapter 10 Past and Present 

Katsura barged into the small shop without muttering even so much of an apology. The Agency leader had a triumphant gleam in his eyes that rivaled the shining shino glaze of the pottery surrounding the tall figure of his friend. He seemed to be positively insane, the way he whirled around as soon as his feet had crossed the doorstep, demanding to see Hiko alone. His friend only snorted and gestured for Katsura to seat himself while he- obviously in a bad mood- went about his business. His customers were already in a becoming state of agitation so he didn't have to bother to be polite.

The exquisite shop in the fancy semi-suburbian outskirts of the city was frequented mostly by _nouveaux riches who wanted to give their homes that Asian touch that was so en vogue these days. Hiko Seijurou's art was as in demand as never before, and the disgruntled ex-agent, who enjoyed making but not selling it was not at all annoyed that his friend provided a welcome excuse to usher all the shocked businesswomen and their 'common-law spouses' aka POSSLQs from his shop and bang the door close behind them.  _

Once the last middle-aged woman and her lapdog had left with a fawning look at the potter's muscles Hiko went into the back office, trusting Katsura to come along behind him. Seating himself at a small table covered with papers and bills roughly shoveled aside to make room for the jug of _sake_ and Seijurou's cup Katsura couldn't hide his smile. 

"Well, we received news about Himura," he opened the conversation. Hiko quirked an eyebrow.

"What predicament is my baka deshi in this time?" he asked, tone disinterested despite the glint in his dark brown-black eyes.

"It seems he has by chance stumbled onto one of our allies. Another deep undercover agent who has joined the Agency after transferring leadership of his own organization to his successor. Apparently, the man has recruited some followers and built a little safe haven for the pursued. He sends messages by an odd and outdated method of communication which is very effective in Regime territory since it's never caught onto."

"Ah, the guy with the carrier pigeons. What was his name- Okina? Strange that he's still around. He's older than most. So baka deshi has arrived at his place? Seems the saying is true- luck _does support-"_

"No need to finish that one, Seijurou. Himura is safe for the moment. The report states he has seven companions traveling with him."  
"He never knew what was good for him. I thought his mission was only to get Miss Takani to safety?"

"You certainly have a way of putting it bluntly. Yes. He should have only guided Takani Megumi back to us. But he still took those others with him."

"He is a little stupid, Katsura." Seijurou reminded him with a hint of annoyance in his voice. The Agency leader smiled wryly and shook his head. Only Hiko Seijurou would call the man who spoke seven languages fluently, had been in Agency services for five years, was a really good marksman not to mention master swordfighter and mastermind behind quite a few of the major strikes against the Regime stupid, all that at barely nineteen years of age.  But then, Seijurou had the same talents himself combined with a tongue sharper than that of his rather quiet pupil and successor. 

It had been Hiko Seijurou's idea to use swordfighters as assassins. Even though the witty sword master had never joined their ranks he had convinced the Agency- with an impressive display of his skills when nothing else had worked- that the silent killing a sword promised was to be preferred above the bark of the gun and that a distinctive profile to their assassins would strike fear into the heart of the enemy thus making for an excellent advantage in psychological warfare. 

His apprentice, by creating the legend of Battousai the Invincible had once and for all proven how efficient Hiko Seijurou's strategy had been. Recently, he Regime had recruited men trained in the art of the sword of their own, having realized the potential they bore. Strategy, cunning, a feel for the opponent's moves and strength of mind and body came along with mastering the art- most useful attributes for warriors and spies. Not to mention the above-normal hand-eye-coordination and quick reflexes that helped when shooting a gun as well.  

"Well..." Katsura trailed off, not exactly sure what to say. Seijurou smirked. His love of unsettling his friends was going to be his downfall some day. 

"Well what?" Arrogance and superiority as well.

"Well, that was the good news," Katsura finished his sentence. He knew Seijurou wasn't going to ask what the bad news were, so he continued on his own. "The bad news is that Himura seems to have had a few rough times, and some of his group aren't in prime condition as well."

"So baka deshi managed to injure himself. Was to be expected. He hasn't been training like he should have the past few months."

Katsura didn't feel the need to point out that Himura had been on death's door when returning from Paris six months earlier and that he had been simply physically incapable of training. His friend knew that, he only liked to complain- and hide his worries behind his cynism.

"He made it there on his own two feet, though."

"Can't be that bad, then... how are chances for contacting them?"

"Not good. Our carrier pigeons are all out." 

"Hmph. Let's hope my baka deshi doesn't mess it all up."

"I'm still trusting Himura's abilities," Katsura gave his usual reply, a slight smile on his lips. 

"The meeting party is still lounging at the border as of yesterday. Move them further west. They will be nearer to where I presume my baka deshi to be."

"I have already given order to them to do so," Katsura enjoyed that for once he was a step ahead of Seijurou.

"Now I should open my shop again. Those rich fools want to spend their money on something _genuinely artful!" The debonair ex-agent was back on track. Katsura got up, bowed and walked out of Hiko Seijurou's back office. "Goodbye, my friend. I will let you know when we hear something new from Himura."_

Hiko Seijurou snorted and lightly dusted over a shimmering ceramic bowl with his hands. There was no dust on that bowl.

*~*

Kenshin froze in place. His right hand dropped to the hilt of his sword, his eyes were a dangerous flat violet blue. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice cold.

"I am Kashiwazaki Nenji, the owner of this farm. You can call me Okina, like everyone else does." The old man grinned at him. "And you are Himura Battousai-dono, top assassin for the Agency who allegedly disappeared six months ago, right? But who are the pretty ladies?" Okina turned towards the twins holding a small girl in their arms, the tall, elegant woman who was suddenly securely hidden behind a very tall, spiky-haired man and the blue-eyed young woman who was blushing rather prettily at his comment. A low growl didn't even register in his ears as he bent over and kissed her hand. "It's such a pleasure meeting you, Miss-"

That lecher _dared_ to try and hit on Kaoru. Kenshin definitely didn't like that. He felt a strange red haze starting to drop over his eyes, and it took all of his considerable self-control to leave it at one low growl.

"Oh my! Are you ill?" One of the three women who had come out of the house as soon as Okina had greeted the arrivals and was now standing behind him stormed forwards and pressed her palm against Kenshin's forehead. "I swear your eyes just changed color! And you do look flushed! You have a fever! We must get you to rest immediately!"

"Uh... Okon?" Misao sweatdropped.

"Oro?" Kenshin squeaked rather undignified. The ice was broken by that simple sound. Kaoru wrenched her hand from Okina's grasp in order to wrap it around her torso shaking with laughter. Megumi chuckled lightly while Sano was in the process of trying to draw in a much-needed breath, slapping his thighs in hapless laughter. Tsubame giggled a little- she was still a very sore and very tired little girl-, Yahiko leaning on Sae for support. The men and women from the farm watched with puzzle faces as the ragtag group of fugitives collapsed on the ground laughing.

"You know, this is the first time someone didn't shy away from me when my eye color changed," Kenshin explained, tears of mirth in the corners of his dark violet eyes.

"But why should I? You honestly look sick when they do!" Okon tried to defend her reaction. 

"Usually this is a sign you shouldn't mess with him," Okina came to Kenshin's aid. "do you remember the tales of the ten-foot tall, red-haired, amber-eyed demon the newspapers spread whenever there was talk about the Battousai? The red hair and amber eyes part was true." 

"Gah!" Okon gasped, "but this man isn't nearly as tall!" 

By now Megumi and the rest of the escapees were about half-dead from laughing and Kenshin was starting to feel more annoyed than humored by the questions asked. He was still very close to the past he rather not mentioned, and his mind kept replaying unpleasant cries of surprise of his victims when they found out _he_ was the feared shadow come to take their lives.

"I beg your pardon if I don't meet the tales about who I was, that I do," he gritted. His weariness made him more on edge than usual. His rather cold tone quickly silenced the laughter around him. Okina sized him up before falling into a light bantering mode again.

"Ah, now, let's not talk about that. I want the pretty ladies to rest, since the little lady there seems to have trouble standing. Shiro, Kuro, would you mind opening the door to the underground room?"

"Jiya, why do you keep talking about an underground room?" Misao asked curiously, her turquoise eyes bright.

"Because we have one, Misao!" Okon chimed and scurried off, calling "I'm going to fetch some blankets!" over her shoulder. Omime and Omasu seemed to understand the unspoken signal and asked Misao to help them prepare a meal for the farm people and the fugitives. It was now only Okina and the group from Camp freedom.

Kenshin and the old man were staring each other down, amber slowly creeping back into the delft blue depths of Kenshin's eyes. Okina seemed to have changed completely, from the slightly funny, bumbling old man to a seasoned warrior capable of dealing with the famous Battousai on par.

"How do you know me?" Kenshin finally relented to asking the first question to break the tense silence that had replaced the humorous atmosphere. Okina smiled, a smile that didn't touch his sharp, apprehensive eyes.

"You are not the only one with a mission, Himura-dono," he said. "I came here after handing over the command of my own unit to my successor. The Agency found me to be a convenient deep undercover agent, so that's what I am since then. Shiro, Kuro, Okon, Omasu and Omime are part of the little operation to get Regime opposition members out of the country. Misao is the only one on the farm not to know this. We only found her a few weeks ago and I'm not trusting her yet."

"You can. Miss Misao is a member of the Oniwabanshu, a group loosely associated with the Agency, that she is."

"Nice to hear you have such a high opinion of the Oniwabanshu, Himura-dono. After all, they were my group before I appointed Shinomori Aoshi as their commander. He must have taken that Misao girl in."

Kenshin's eyes betrayed none of his surprise. "You're the former leader of the Oniwabanshu." He stated flatly, "and now run a people-smuggling operation. I wonder why Katsura Kogoro never told me about you."

"I'm deep undercover, Himura-dono. You're not supposed to know. I got a carrier pigeon yesterday, however, with a message from the Agency to all associates in the Regime that 'Red' would probably require assistance in a delicate op. And there you are... now I have to help you. But there's one thing I'd like to ask of you:  how are the Oniwabanshu doing these days?"

The painful look that crossed Kenshin's face didn't go unnoticed. "So the rumors are true and the Paris incident really happened. I wouldn't believe it."

"Miss Misao is searching for Shinomori Aoshi, that she is. He, however, is not as she remembers him, that he isn't. He has joined the Regime in order to get his revenge on the Agency and myself in particular, that he has. I'm very sorry to be such an inconvenience, that I am."

"Aoshi- joined the Regime?" Okina was looking deeply hurt. "I didn't think he would go so far as to associate himself with evil- no, turn into evil! But I guess he _was too young and the responsibility __was too great after all."_

Kenshin didn't answer, but the faraway look in his eyes showed his thoughts as clearly as any words would.

"It is a war, that it is. And many of those involved should no have been, that they shouldn't." But they were too naive to know, too prideful to listen and too stubborn to back down. he added, regret mirroring on his face. He hid it behind an empty smile, however, as he noticed the other inhabitants of the farm returning.

"Enough of this depressing talk!" Okina suddenly returned to the cheerful old man he had been before. Seemed like he, too, knew something about _ki_- not surprising since he had been the leader of the Oniwabanshu.

"It's all ready, Okina," Shiro reported smiling at Tae, Sae and Tsubame. "May I help the little lady?" 

The twins gratefully let him scoop Tsubame into his arms and carry her to the large barn next to the main farmhouse. Entering behind him, the whole group of fugitives soon found themselves at the bottom of a ladder in a high-vaulted, nice-sized cellar room. Okina took the lead, pushing at a large, dusty glass jar on a shelf in a dark corner of the cellar.

"Whoa!" Misao exclaimed at the sight of the cozy, lantern-lit room behind the secret door. "Why didn't you ever tell me about this, Jiya?"

"Because you could have hidden yourself there from your punishment!" the old man laughed.

Tsubame was carefully set down on a sofa that was only the slightest bit moldy, Tae and Sae sitting down beside her as Megumi and Kaoru gratefully let themselves fall onto the two armchair situated around the western style table. 

"Please make yourself comfortable. Omime and Omasu will bring you food once it's ready." Okina said. "Misao, come, we still need to do our daily work."

"Aw, Jiya, you know- they will probably need someone to tell them how things work at the farm!" Misao was desperate. She needed to talk to Himura about Aoshi! She was so close to finding her leader and love!

"Misao, what they most likely need now is rest. Look, that little girl and Himura are injured and have been running for so long," Kuro kindly reprimanded the hyper girl. Misao pouted. 

"Come, Misao. I guess you can bring them the food later on." Reluctantly, the girl left with the rest of the farm people leaving the fugitives to their own devices.

With a rather heavy sigh Kenshin slid to the floor as soon as the door had closed behind them. His head sagged ever closer to his chest, and his eyelids were disconcerteningly droopy. "I'm very sorry, Sano, that I am, but could you watch over us for a half an hour while I sleep a little?" he asked, his speech slurred. Once the last adrenaline had worn off he was positively dead on his feet,  the wink of sleep- it had been no more than ten minutes he had rested this morning- not enough to make up for two sleepless nights. His injuries twinged uncomfortably as well, his mind too fogged to shut away his body's needs.

"Sure, Kenshin," Sano replied after one look at the agent. It spoke of Kenshin's trust in him that he didn't even reply. Instead, his breathing had become even and slow the moment Sano had answered, his hands uncurled, one resting lightly atop the leg drawn to his chest, the other lying in his lap. Kenshin was fast asleep.

Sano didn't wake him up once the half an hour was over. The agent had looked so spent when he had let his guard rop that the young fighter couldn't get himself to rouse him. Thus, the redhead was still sleeping when Misao brought their food, her disappointed glance meeting stern resolve from the group of fugitives who had awoken one by one when the delicious smell of real miso soup had reached their nostrils. The girl left soon after, since the one she wanted to talk to was not available, and the others were too protective to let her wake him up. They had eaten in silence, their bodies exhausted and their minds numbed from the grueling flight through the night. Afterwards, most of them had dropped off to doze again, leaving Sano alone on his watch- or so he thought.

"You know, it would be much more comfortable if you put your legs up on a chair." The sharp voice of Megumi sounded for once amiably concerned. Sano grinned at her lazily. 

"Oi, Foxy, why are you still awake?" She sighed and sat down beside him on the sofa. 

"You know, you could just be thankful you have someone to talk to," she answered, her sharp tongue somewhat dulled by the night's events. Sano scooted closer to her. Megumi had dark circles under her eyes and for the first time since he had met her her hair was in disarray. She was slumped on the sofa in a posture that held nothing of her elegance and poise- and yet she was the most beautiful woman Sano had ever set eyes on.

"Never mind... " he drawled, carefully sliding an arm around the physician's shoulder. She stiffened, but relaxed when she realized he wasn't doing anything else.

"I am very concerned for Tsubame and Ken-san," she whispered suddenly, unexpectedly, "he pretends he is alright, but I can see his body is not. Those wounds on his chest are probably infected by now, Saito's attack has stabbed deep and... well, Tsubame is simply too small. Her body can't handle the strain if we go on again tonight... we have to stay here. You have to help me convince them to stay!" Her hands knitted themselves together nervously, twisting some of the fabric of her shirt in between her fingers. Sano carefully reached out and took her hands into his own.

"I'll try," he said honestly, "but I can't promise. I think Kenshin is much too stubborn to let anything deter him..." he halted his speech as he suddenly realized their situation. Megumi's face was so close to his, her hands warm and small in his grasp, her lips inviting, her tired eyes slightly wide with emotions he couldn't fathom. "Megumi..." he said softly intertwining her fingers with his. She met his gaze with liquid brown eyes shimmering in the artificial light of their underground abode.

"Megumi, Tsubame is- she is..." Yahiko was panicking. Blushing ever so slightly Megumi wrenched her hands from Sano's grip.

"What is it, Yahiko?" she asked, the foxy doctor-mode back full blast.

"She's so hot! And she's crying! Tae and Sae asked me to get you!" the boy's eyes were wide with fear.

"I'm coming." Wearily, Megumi got up and went over to the bed in which the twins and their charge had laid down to rest.

Tsubame's shoulder had slipped from its protective sling and she had a fever, which resulted in the girl having nightmares. Although Megumi concluded that she was not in immediate danger, it was clear that she was in no condition to travel again that night. The group would have to stay at the farm for a few days.

About halfway into the afternoon Kenshin and Kaoru awoke, the former not very pleased that Sano had taken it upon himself to watch over them and had neglected his duty of waking him up. But then, the stress of one night spent in breathless suspension pondering whether someone had found them out- even though Megumi had meant it only as a joke startling them while planning it had upset the agent enough to deny him his rest- and the next running through the barren wilderness, bloodhounds breathing down their necks had mellowed him a little so he left it at one reproachful glance. Kaoru fussed over the two children a little before joining Kenshin in his silent watch next to the door while Sano and Megumi rested.

"I can't believe this is real," the girl whispered, her arms tightly wrapped around each other and pressed against her chest to preserve warmth. With her slim and exhausted body she quickly lost warmth, and even though Okina had isolated the chamber as good as possible there was still a noticeable chill from the permafrost just behind the walls.

"It will take Miss Tsubame two to three days to get ready to travel again, that it will, so you still have time to get used to it, that you have," Kenshin replied evenly. Kaoru sighed.

"I know that. But I still can't believe that's it's afternoon and here I am sitting and doing nothing. That's just so... surreal." She climbed to her feet and started pacing around their little safe harbor. "And then there's the fact I suddenly have friends, there are agents everywhere and nothing is what it seems to be anymore."

"I'm very sorry that I had to deceive you, that I am... I didn't mean to trouble you, not at all." She halted, grabbing a spare blanket to wrap around her, and plopped down beside him.

"You don't trouble me... after all, without you I'd be helping to rebuild that awful Camp." She snuggled into her blanket, but suddenly straightened and put it over his shoulders as well. "You must be cold, too, just sitting there," she chided and settled closer to his warmth, soon dropping off to dreamland again. Kenshin didn't have the heart to tell her that his temperature was still higher than normal since his body was busy healing itself, so he just closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Kaoru being so close to him.

Their peace was shattered when Misao came barging into the room demanding to know whether Himura was still asleep. For a moment Kenshin had it in his mind to just pretend he didn't notice her, but then he remembered the shimmering of her eyes as she spoke of her friends, the Oniwabanshu, and Aoshi, so he wordlessly nodded to her in greeting.

"Hello, Himura! I hope you are better now... you looked awfully silent sleeping, you know. Totally pale! Will you tell me about my Aoshi-sama now?" He smiled 

Kenshin chuckled. "You don't waste time, do you, Miss Misao?" She whipped her braid over her shoulder, absently playing with the tie that held it together.

"I don't _have much time, you know? Jiya keeps calling on me, and then there's the rumors that soldiers are heading this way- of course, since we have got you here it's not just rumors but a certain event... they have dogs that can even smell people in the water if not too much time has passed since they jumped in!" _

"I'm not sure about the dogs, that I am not. After all, this sounds rather impossible... but I have a question about _you, Miss Misao. Why did you leave the Oniwabanshu after... after Paris?" He hid himself behind the shadows and his hair again. Misao couldn't read him like that, something that annoyed the young spy-in-training._

"Well, there _was no more Oniwabanshu. Our division was completely obliterated, Aoshi-sama had vanished off the face of the Earth and I was the only one left. Now, I have taken the title of Okashira and will soon rebuild the Oniwabanshu, but- where is Aoshi-sama?" Her pouting, pleading look was cute, but she tried it on the wrong man. _

"I can't tell you where he is now," Kenshin replied, his expression unreadable even though he calmly met her gaze.

"But-" Misao started, only to be interrupted by a banging on the separating wall. "Misao! Quickly, come outside. A whole platoon of soldiers is on their way to the farm, and we don't want to be suspicious, do we?" Okon was frantically trying to open the entrance to the hidden chamber. "Please, Misao!" 

The ninja girl got up with a look on her face that promised Kenshin she would be back as soon as possible and pushed the door disguised as a shelf open. "I'm coming, Okon, I'm coming!"

Kenshin smiled after her. She still thought he was stupid, that she did.

*~*

There was nothing out of the ordinary on that little farm. Neither Saito nor Aoshi could detect anything that pointed to an intrusion by fugitives, yet the possibility remained. Facing his men Saito assigned orders to bring every hand in for questioning before riding right into the main courtyard, accompanied only by Aoshi and five men. Dismounting, they were greeted by an attractive woman of perhaps thirty years who bowed before them very politely and very shy, if not afraid. 

"My name is Omasu. How can I help you?" she asked, her voice quivering a little. Saito's cold yellow stare raked up and down her body.

"We are currently recapturing eight people who have violated Regime laws and deserted their designated workplaces at Camp Freedom. You will help us." His voice held no room for arguments. Omasu bowed again. 

"We have seen no such people on the run, but you are of course welcome to stay here if you need to," she said, putting on a very convincing show of being frightened because she _was. Aoshi's silent but strong presence unnerved her, and Saito's piercing eyes and analyzing stare sent shivers down her spine. _

"Where is the owner of this farm?" Aoshi suddenly asked. His gaze had not shifted in the least to announce his statement, and Omasu jumped at his words.

"I will go get him for you," she offered, bowing a third time, deeper this time before leaving for the house.

"No need- he's already coming," Saito commented lazily, pulling a pack of cigarettes from the right breast pocket of his uniform and a packet of matches from the left. Omasu watched in uneasy silence as he drew one of the cigarettes out of their protective casing and lighted it with an almost carelessly lightened match. Drawing a deep lungful of the addictive tobacco smoke the officer settled his gaze onto the entrance to the main house. An old man stepped out that instance, making his way over to them once he saw the soldiers and Regime officers.

"I am Okina, the owner of this farm," he said in even tones. Saito watched him impassively. Aoshi next to him tensed, however.

"I am Saito Hajime, Captain of the Third Regime Squad. I explained to your hired hand why we are here, Okina. Make room for twenty-five men and two officers of the Regime. We will base our search of this area here." Another draw on the cigarette. "Officer Shinomori is my second-in-command on this mission. His wishes are the same as mine. You will do whatever your government requires of you. Now go." Okina nodded wordlessly before he retreated in a very respectful manner.

"Of course we will be happy to help catch the criminals," he said while going back to the house. "I will prepare rooms for you and your second-in-command in the house. Your men will have to night in the barn, unfortunately. Since our house is too small to accommodate more people."

"That will suffice," Saito commented letting his cigarette butt fall to the swept-dirt ground of the courtyard. 

"I will follow him to ensure he doesn't try anything," Aoshi stated, already walking towards the house behind the old man. Saito shrugged and fished in his breast pocket for his cigarettes. He would keep an eye on the surrounding buildings.

A young girl came out of the pigpen that stood a good 200 feet away from the main house. Blinking against the sunlight she sulkily slendered across the yard- at least until she caught sight of the five mounted soldiers and the officer casually leaning against his horse.  

"Good evening, Captain," she bowed before him. Her turquoise eyes showed she didn't like the intrusion on her little world, and Saito decided to have a little fun with her. She was already on her way over to the main house when he answered her.

"Good evening, weasel."

She bristled with indignation but was clever enough not to speak up to him- or maybe she wasn't. "My name is Misao!" she squeaked.

"You still look like a weasel. And shouldn't you be helping your grandfather to prepare our quarters?" His glare seemed to dare her to say anything. This time, however, she only huffed and _stomped_ away.

Aoshi silently entered into the hallway of the farmhouse behind the old man. Without looking back, Okina lead him into a cozy-looking, albeit sparsely furnished, living room. He closed the door behind him and turned to meet the sharp gaze of the old man.

"Shinomori," he said simply. 

"Okina," the stoic man with the ice-blue eyes replied alike. His stance was tense, his hands ready to draw the weapon he carried on his hip. The old man's eyes narrowed in disapproval.

"So you have in fact joined what we once considered our enemy, Aoshi?" he asked. No sound was uttered as the two men stared at each other. 

"I know what happened in Paris, Aoshi, but that is not the solution. There is one of your group who is still alive. Don't you care for her?"

"The Oniwabanshu is dead. I live solely to hunt down the man responsible for that. I think you are harboring him. Give me the Battousai."

"I don't have a man of that name under my roof," the old man replied, grabbing onto a decorative pair of embossed short sticks lying on a shelf behind him.

"I still believe you do. If necessary, I will fight you to gain that information." The long sheath was pulled from its place at Aoshi's hip. With one fluid movement he pulled not one, but two short swords from it. "Last time I fought I didn't have my real weapon with me. You won't be as lucky as the Battousai," he announced, sliding into a stance that was offensive and defensive at once. His movements were graceful and fluid, like quicksilver. Sighing, Okina readied himself. 

"I will not go down easily."

"I can't believe this man! I mean, sure, he's a captain and all that, but honestly,. Calling me a weasel is _not right! I'm not a-" Misao's voice trailed off when she heard the crashing sound from behind the closed door of the living room. With a sudden burst of speed she raced towards it and threw it open._

A gasp tore itself from her mouth as the past and present Okashiras of the Oniwabanshu faced each other.

... to be continued ... 

Don't kill me! They met! 

_Yasai: Barely._

_Not you, too. My cousin N-chan got a hold of my story and wrote me an e-mail with a really good critic in it… still… _

_Yasai: Don't tell me you're afraid of her!?!_

_I am! That girl's a genius. I always feel so stupid when she's around…_

_Yasai: She isn't around. She's in Brazil._

_Okay. I surrender. Now for some info:_

**_shino glaze_**_ – white Japanese glaze on pottery (yikes, Chibi researched something!)_

**_POSSLQ_**_ – acronym __attempted to be introduced by the US Census. POSSLQ = person of opposite sex sharing living quarters ( pronounced PAH-s'l-cue). Gained some limited currency in the 80s mostly as a humorous object of mild ridicule but has pretty much sunk out of existence. The census still uses it . ! The Germans have a fitting word for that: Lebensabschnittsgefährte (brownie points to anyone who can pronounce it!), which would be something like 'temporary life partner' (Oh well, what you come across when reading ...)._

_Thank you all for your reviews! I promise I'll do individual responses again next time, but my computer time's running out- my brothers demand I let them online, so I g2g! Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan  
  
_


	12. Chapter 11 Transparency

_Ciao!!!_

_Phew! First week of school is over, and I'm still alive. I have to get used to reducing my sleeping time again... but what am I bothering you with mindless ramble when you have a story to read? *grins* Here it goes... oh, and just one warning: this is once again dialogue-heavy... but enjoy!_

_  
"…." Denotes talking_

_….. denotes thinking_

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

**Chapter 11**

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**Transparency**

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Okina tried to push himself upright again from where he had crashed into the low shelf. His arms trembled wanting to support the weight of his body but simply unable to do so because of the six deep slashes Aoshi's sword had left across his torso. He panted in short, labored gasps as though the oxygen level in the air had dropped significantly while at the same time looking in horror from Aoshi to the new arrival to Aoshi again. Of all the things ha had expected to happen, this was the one confrontation he had wanted to avoid since his talk with Himura had alerted him to his 'granddaughter's' true nature.

Misao was standing wide-eyed at the door, her body rigid and motionless except for the tears falling from incredulous, turquoise eyes. Their steady stream of liquid diamonds on pale cheeks was as silent as the tall man she had fixed her eyes upon- the tall man in a Regime uniform splattered with the blood of the friendly grandfather who had taken her in when she didn't know where to turn to. She wished nothing more than to fixate her gaze onto those kind, translucent ice-blue eyes of her leader, her teacher, her love, but all her horrified eyes met was the clouded, polluted look of a madman posing as her heart's desire.

"Aoshi-sama...." she whispered tonelessly, the tears still falling freely, leaving behind a steady, tinkling sound when they dropped onto the hard floor. 

The twin swords were calmly sheathed in their one, long _saya_, then the face obscured by his wild bangs turned o her, his eyes seeing her, truly seeing her for the first time. 

"Misao!" Okina rasped from his prone position, having slid to the floor with a _thunk_. She was still frozen, inside and out, even though the thawing process had obviously begun- her whole body was trembling from a force within. Disbelievingly, she tried to get a grasp on herself, on what she saw, to shake the surreal feeling off, to get back to reality where Jiya wasn't hurt and Aoshi-sama came to greet her with a smile.

"Aoshi-sama..." her whisper grew more insistent, but was only greeted with roaring silence on his part.

"I didn't want to see you ever again," he stated, flicking the sleeve of his uniform to get rid of the drops of sticky red blood that still clung to it. Their graceful, arcing flight was left unobserved as a heart broke into a million pieces of shattered glass, each piercing the remains with brilliant agony.

"Aoshi-sama..." it had grown a sobbing whisper, a prayer for salvation, the cry of a child begging to be held so the nightmare might leave. 

"You will not contact me." He left, brushing past her like a shadowy phantom, an illusion too fleeting to be caught. She was transfixed, gradually, as if in slow motion, dropping to her knees and burying her face in hands that shook so violently she couldn't hold it in them. 

"AOSHI-SAMA!!!" The cry tore itself from her bleeding heart, bursting outward with the strength of fragmented feelings on the aftermath of implosion. She fell, curling into a small ball, forgetting the world as it contracted into one small ball of desolation tightly wrapped around her. The tears had stopped falling, frozen in their tracks when her soul had been torn.

"Misao..." She didn't feel Okina's hand touching her, didn't see the tightening of his face, the wetness in his eyes. She was lost within herself, and for once she didn't want to find the will to continue on, to overcome her grief with happiness. For once, she wallowed in self-pity, a small, insignificant particle in a world suddenly too transparent and too large for her.

The man she called her grandfather left her to mourn, grimacing when moving put s strain on his wounds. He'd had worse, however, and thanks to Misao's timely intervention nothing else had happened to him. He had honestly thought he would be able to put up a better fight than that, but Aoshi had been training while he had run a small people-smuggling operation in the middle of nowhere.

It shouldn't have been. But now, I must find a way to eliminate you, Shinomori Aoshi. You have sided with the enemy, have lost yourself, have lost what the Oniwabanshu meant, have lost focus. You are nothing but a killing machine now- like the assassins you so despised when you were younger. It is my duty to relieve you of this misery, and since I can't do it with my own hands, I have to find someone who can. His steps were slowly, but surely as he opened the doors to the two sparkling clean spare rooms he would offer the officers. He couldn't send Aoshi away- he would have to live with the threat. It should be fine- as long as he didn't allow Aoshi to catch him alone ever again.

"Your rooms are prepared, gentlemen." Okina's breathing was harsh, he leaned against the doorframe for support, and Saito's sharp eye caught the six long rips in the dark fabric of the plain, linen shirt the old man wore. On first glance it looked merely wet, but then the wolf had never only used one sense. Tangy, salty, a hint of rust, a pinch of sugary sweetness- that was the scent of blood. And sure enough- on the uniform of his companion who was leaning against the wall in the shadows Saito found confirmation. 

"So he needed persuasion after all?" Saito asked, already knowing the answer and not expecting his fellow officer to answer. Shrugging offhandedly, he followed Okina and Aoshi into the house, careful to study his surroundings in enough detail so he could use them to his advantage should they be ambushed. In the analytical mind of Saito Hajime the fact that one was ambushed didn't count as dishonor, but the fact that one was ambushed, didn't know what to do and let the assailants escape did. It had, as of yet, never happened to him- and it never would if he had a say in the matter.

Narrow hallways and high ceilings dominated the farmhouse, the timber framing that lent its walls sturdiness visible through the freshly applied whitewash that still emitted its peculiar smell of wet chalk cliffs on a caliginous day. The house was well kept, the occasional speck of dirt on the otherwise clean-swept floor attesting to the profession of its inhabitants. Farming, after all, wasn't the cleanest of jobs... and farmers couldn't be perfectly groomed all day. Apparently they also didn't have enough money to heat their house all day, Saito noticed as the chill spread through the fabric of his uniform. He had left his coat at the entrance, out of politeness and because he didn't want anyone to think Regime officers were careless pigs like their Agency counterparts. Now, he regretted it.

"What is behind this door?" he asked, momentarily forgetting his discomfort as he pointed to the sturdy oakwood frame and leaf. Okina looked startled, breaking his stride and swaying on his feet. A thin sheen of sweat coated the old man's brow underneath his tangled and matted white hair that had been so meticulously kempt the first time Saito had set eyes on him.

"Only the living room. Misao is in there at the moment." He spoke in short gasps, carefully pressing one arm onto his chest. Saito nodded wordlessly. "Continue," he said. Misao was that little girl of Okina's, he had no desire to have another conversation with the weasel.

Behind the door Misao listened to the soft footsteps of the three men passing by, stopping, talking about her and continuing on with cool detachedness. She was feeling hollow inside- but in the course of the last few minutes she had realized one important thing: if she ever wanted to fill up hat hollowness again she had to act. Shaking off her stupor and wincing at the minor cramps her muscles had acquired during the minutes lying motionless on a cold, hardwood floor she stood up, eyes shining with new determination. Makimachi Misao, aged 16, often happy-go-lucky and sunshiny, had just taken an important step towards adulthood.

Down beneath the barn, the eight fugitives were sitting close to each other in tight apprehension. Even though Okina had assured them they were as safe as could be, in the dark vestiges of the human mind the shadow of doubt is ever present, and in dark times it takes a lot not to give it even more room. It is said the human soul is viewed clearest when it is obscured from the owner, partly, this saying was true.

Kenshin leaned stiffly against the wall, the chairs, sofa and beds taken up by his traveling companions. He was feeling much better already, rested for the first time in weeks, his stomach full of warm, rich food that sent warmth spreading through his limbs. Still, he could sense that it would probably take a day or two until he had his full strength back, his injuries, though cared for with sterile materials and salves to soothe the aches slowing him down- imperceptible to most but too obvious to himself. The yellow patina of aging linoleum that made up the floor of their hideout was studied closely as his long, slender fingers traced its lines studiously and diligently. Sometimes, he felt as though he was so much older than his years that people like Kaoru seemed a lifetime away. His guilt weighing down on him, his dreams torturing him, his eyes having seen to much, his mind unable to forget... it had shaped him, made him into what he was, but he couldn't escape its grasp, couldn't even once let go of the past, because in the next moment it would stare him into the eye in the face of a child who had lost its father, or a woman bearing the long, black hair of his fiancée. If he could have one wish, only one wish he could use only for himself- it would be to wish for the ability to forget.

They always envy me my memory... I would gladly give it away if it meant I could live a normal life. But his life had been doomed to abnormality the moment he was born. Then again the moment he was picked up by a strange, large, dark-haired man who took him in, and all over again when he had, in remembrance of his past, left this very man and had offered his services to the Agency. The final blow to any semblance of normalcy had been the death of the one woman he loved- the one woman whose reputation had been destroyed when she died, leaving him with nothing but bitter memories and pictures of times when he had seen happiness float just outside his reach.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru had come over, carrying a blanket to wrap around his shoulders. He smiled at her touch and looked up from his absent tracing of the lines on cracked linoleum. Her eyes, deep, clear blue of a fresh, unfathomable natural spring, met his, giving his troubled thoughts a moment's respite as he happily allowed himself to get lost in their depths.

"Thank you, Miss Kaoru.," he said. She went back to her chair, hesitant and with a slight limp in her stride. Kenshin frowned. She had injured herself and had not told him? His temper flared up, strained under the weight of his thoughts and the oppressing comfort of the room. All these people, so close to each other yet separated by more than distance, aware of their fate yet afraid of the consequences of their actions, hypocritical pseudo-relaxation... He gazed at Kaoru's long hair, blue highlights dancing in the midnight strands that lent her an air of tragedy, supreme desolation, forlornness.

"I have been thinking," she suddenly spoke up, even before she had settled down in her chair again, "I have been remembering what has been before the Camp. These farm people reminded me of some of my neighbors... although these neighbors were not as friendly." She chuckled dryly. The tension in the air dropped several degrees, breathing became so much easier at once and somehow everyone assumed it was storytelling-time so they snuggled closer together- Megumi allowing Sano to put an arm around her shoulders, as Kenshin noted with astonishment- and made themselves more comfortable. Kenshin kept his eyes on Kaoru, who sat there with a faraway look on her face, dreamily recounting her past as her hands fingered glistening raven hair. She spoke softly, as close to a whisper as she could get without losing her voice, in chopped, short bits of speech interspersed by pregnant pauses, but her tale was enrapturing enough to captivate her audience in spite of her imperfect rhetoric.

"I guess I was a Daddy's girl- my mother had died before I turned five, so there really was noone else. But he was all I needed... my friend, my teacher, and my father. I was happy when I was with him and waiting for him when he wasn't there, which was quite often considering he was one of the most open voices against the Regime. He was no rebel- he just didn't share their views on many things. It was well-known fact in our town... and the reason why all except those who took kendo lessons from him or me shunned us. I didn't mind the strange looks at the market- I was a girl who could fend for herself and had someone o back her up.

When I was fourteen, he began telling me stories about a war, fairytales of countries where people didn't have to cower in fear for expressing their opinions and where one was free to decide whom to greet and in which way. Countries where there was no military police patrolling the streets and it wasn't the rule of the strongest that dominated life. He explained to me what the word 'freedom' meant- and I didn't believe him when he said he wanted to make it at home in our country as well. I laughed at him at that time- but he only looked at me and said that with time I'd understand. Three years later, I still hadn't understood but I had grown to love these fairytales. I even questioned him for more, and he told me of the brave heroes... and the dangerous men." She shot Kenshin an apologetic look. "Men like the one called Battousai." Here she stopped, catching her breath, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears she fought down before continuing.

"One day, about four weeks ago, the Regime decided Father was too dangerous to be left uncontrolled and free. When the soldiers stormed the dojo- in the evening, after our students had gone home- he pushed me into the small chamber where we kept our _bokken_ and _shinai_. I couldn't see a thing, but I heard... it took a long time for them to get him. I... I was sitting there, in the darkness, listening to the screams and... imagining things until... until they were all silent. Then this one voice spoke... he said to get me. 

I didn't fight- I couldn't fight. They took me away from my home, they burned the dojo down when they had left with me, but I didn't even see that. All I could see was my father, and he was lying there, so still... one part here, one part there... all torn... and so still..." she trailed off, shivering and shuddering under the weight of her memories. Her heart clamped down on the despair that wanted to invade her thoughts and her voice, and she spoke on to stave off the onslaught of the sounds, the smells, the burning fire inside her mind.

"They questioned me on what he had done. I didn't know. He had told me stories, that was all. I never thought those stories were true, I said, although I had. To ban the stories, to never let them escape and reach other ears they brought me to the Camp. But I wasn't going to give up. My father... he wouldn't want me to give up and I haven't. So here I am... and I am glad I didn't give up because... because I am here and... and..." she broke down, finally giving in to the flood that thrashed against the dams in her heart, and she cried. 

Silence reigned. They hadn't known the story behind the spunky, fiery little girl, and now that they did they weren't any wiser. "Missy..." Sano said, at a loss. Megumi slipped away from him and held the crying girl in her arms.

"Just cry... it's alright to cry..." she said, softly rocking the heaving form of the younger girl. Kaoru sniffled, trying to close the floodgates that had broken open.

"I have never talked about this..." she cried, her voice cracking under the strain. "I know," was the answer the doctor gave her, holding her tighter.

Kenshin envied Megumi this moment. How much would he have loved to hold Kaoru himself, to let her bury her face in _his_ chest, to be the one to wipe away her tears. But all he could do was to stand behind her, a reassuring presence, and to apologize. He knew it was partly his fault her father had to die, he had maintained contact with him over the period of a few months before and after the whole Paris fiasco...

"I'm sorry," he whispered, the words more heartfelt than ever before, "I'm so sorry, that I am. I should... I should have warned your father, and I shouldn't have asked of him that he send the Agency information about the Regime, that I should. I was a contact of his..." Kaoru whimpered, wriggling out of Megumi's embrace and looking at him with teary, clear eyes that allowed him to see into the depths of her soul- see the fears she harbored, the pain she bore, and the forgiveness and love for all that was around her that coated the harsh and bitter emotions in a sweet mantle and made them bearable for her. She was strong, he thought again, so much stronger than anyone gave her credit for. 

"It's not your fault," she said, lowering her gaze and wiping the last tears from her eyes, "and I'm certain Father wouldn't want me to cry like this. He always taught me to follow my heart, and I will, just as he followed his." She smiled, a sight more beautiful than anything he had seen before. To be able to smile through the darkness of one's heart... to see the good in every evil... he could never hope to be that strong. She overcame her darkness- his lurked behind a transparent shield of glass ready to break out every second.

"My parents were murdered. I didn't want to stay in the orphanage and ran away whenever I could. So they put me into the Camp- to make me a 'useful citizen'." Yahiko spat, unable to bear the tearful atmosphere any longer. "See, _Busu_, you're not the only one here."

"We didn't even know why we were sent into the Camp- until the guards told us our restaurant had been a popular meeting place for dissenters," Tae said.

"I am one of the Sekihoutai," Sano offered, leaning back against the sofa, a straw in the corner of his mouth. His eyes glinted dangerously as he continued. "At first we supported the Regime, we thought they were all for the 'small people' and such... but then they turned their back on us when we didn't want to become an official squadron under their officers' command... we had our own commander, my uncle, Sagara Souzo. He died when the Regime suddenly decided we were rebels for not wanting to surrender command. I was thirteen, and I lived. I fought on the streets- beat up people for money, yes, Foxy," his voice was heavily laced with sarcasm when he concluded his tale, "they sent a whole squad after me- 'protection of innocent civilians' they called it. I woke up with one hell of a headache and was in Camp Freedom. Anyone else want to share their life-story?"

Nobody volunteered. The story of the Sekihoutai was well known in and out of the Regime, despite the efforts to just file it under the 'unconfirmed rumors' section. It hadn't really sounded believable, however- what government would do away with two hundred able soldiers? At least no government in their right mind. Insanity in the Regime had just gone up a notch now that they knew an actual survivor of the tragedy... 

"I knew about the Sekihoutai- I fought against some of them when they guarded one of my targets," Kenshin finally said in a low voice, so quiet the others had t strain their ears to catch his words. "They were brave, and for normal soldiers they were incredibly well-trained and clever enough to follow their instincts. This was short before... short before an assignment in Paris."

"Paris? The city of love... is it true that the lights of Paris make women more supple and men more poetic?" Sae asked. Kenshin sighed.

"To me it seemed so. But all I got from there were a few scars and my weapon." And more memories than I want to share at the moment, he added silently.

"That Sakabatou-thing?" Yahiko perked up, suddenly interested again after the adults had gotten over their mushiness. 

"Yes...I got that Sakabatou-thing, that I did... It was given to me by the man who owned our base for that mission. He was an antique dealer, and he said he had no use for it, however, I might. He said it was around a hundred years old and came from Japan. I took it, but I didn't use it at that time. Actually, I have only started using it four months ago."

"And now you're here with us, stuck underground a barn and don't know what's going on above." Megumi deadpanned.

"I know only a little of what's going on above, that I do. There are around thirty soldiers in total, and they have been quartered in the barn, that they have. We can't go up there, that we can't," Kenshin replied.

"How do you know that?" Yahiko inquired nosily. 

"I have heard them arrive- you certainly noticed the pounding sounds in the walls too, that you did. They were hooves, that they were, and if you listened carefully you could have estimated how many there are as well, that you could. And now that they're closer I can sense them a little, that I can- even though they are too far away to say more, that they are." He smiled brightly, aiming to lighten the gloomy mood again.

"That's just plain creepy, you know," Sano said shooting him an incredulous look. "Do you think that Saito character is with them?"

"I assume so, that I do... he will chase me... but if he catches us, you have to run and lead the others- he will only fight me, that he will."

"Hn." Sano snorted, throwing a glance at the frail-looking agent who leaned on Kaoru's chair, his head resting on his palms as violet eyes ponderingly gazed into the distance. "You don't look like you'd survive a second in his company. Let Foxy be the leader- I'm gonna be with you." The agent didn't answer, but the hard look on his face and the velvety steel touch in his eyes told them all what he thought about Sano's proposition.

"Let's not think about this now, alright?" Kaoru sighed wearily, her emotions run dry and her heart too raw to bear another flare of tempers. 

*~*

Katsura was seated in his office at the Agency, the large oak desk in front of him covered by papers, briefs, mission reports, urgent messages and things nobody wanted to do so they went to the boss. It was the irony of working in a government-run operation- the one in charge always got the most undesirable jobs, the most heavy workload, the most exposure to the scalding tongues of public opinion and was always held personally responsible for everything that went wrong even if he had nothing to do with it. And from the way it looked, a lot of things had gone wrong. Why else would his second-in-command, a man who had been with the Agency as long as he had stand before him, sweating and panting after having rushed to bring him news? Yamagata was not a good field agent, but he knew how to discern important from unimportant things and had a knack for running an administration. For him to be that flustered… the information he carried had to be terribly important and horribly bad. And it was. Incredulously, Katsura listened to the words read to him, revealing a plot he couldn't ever have thought of.

"Yamagata, where did you come across this information?" he asked, worry tingeing his voice with a slightly metallic rasp. His large, strong hands nervously battered on the meanders in the texture of the wood beneath its protective varnish, the rhythm's speed astonishing. 

"It was sent to me from our reliable undercover contact within the Regime, codename 'the Wolf'. As it is, he knows Battousai has infiltrated their territory, and he says that if he knows then the Pharaoh knows as well since the Wolf was in his entourage."

"The Pharaoh… the leader of the entire Regime forces, military genius and the one we were after for so long- has he slipped through our fingers again?"

"It seems he has- he has not taken up pursuit of Battousai's group of fugitives. Instead, the Wolf says, he awaits his and his companion's return at Camp Freedom. But there is a chance to get him, Sir. Battousai has to go back to the Camp."

"I can't risk that. Himura has his mission to bring Agent Takani back to safety, and now he has responsibility for a large group of people. I can't order him to return them to the Camp. He would not comply."

"Then tell him to let them cross the border to safety, where our people wait to take them away, but order him to allow himself to be captured. Battousai will most likely do that- he has a score to settle with the Pharaoh."

"I know he has- and that's what I am afraid of. I am sure you remember Hiko Seijurou, Yamagata? My one-time partner and the one who was supposed to have this job I have now? I'm sure Hiko Seijurou would have your hide- and mine, by the way- if we put Himura in danger any more than he already is. Ad should we pit him against the Pharaoh without thorough briefing… I'd rather not think of it."

"The we'll send a carrier pigeon to where Battousai is now- I know we can reach him, don't deny it- and give him this information we now have on our hands and suggest he lead his group to safety and go after the Pharaoh himself. This way, it would be Himura Battousai's decision. And he would have his briefing."

"I don't like to waste the life of my agents… and I would especially hate to lose Himura. We already almost lost him to madness after Paris- if he meets the Pharaoh again he might just succumb to it."

"But this is a risk we have to take. Once the Pharaoh is taken care of the stability of the Regime will be severely endangered- he holds too many secrets and makes too many decisions to make his death a simple act of changing one military leader against the other. Regime officials, especially Hoji, depend on his iron hand to keep the people under control. He has no commanding officers who could take his position since he has always tried to make himself invaluable. If he falls, the Regime will fall as well. When we tell Battousai that- he will certainly do his best."

"I still don't like it," Katsura murmured, the fervent drumming of his fingers that had given the conversation a desperate pace having finally stopped, "but I agree it is the best chance we've had in years. Perhaps, that blister on the world's face called the Regime will finally vanish now. Send the message."

His heart heavy, he watched Yamagata's face turn to eager expectation. "Battousai will not fail us, he never has," he said before nodding to Katsura and leaving.

"Wait!" Katsura shouted just before Yamagata could walk out the door. The Agency's second-in-command halted his steps and turned around. "Tell Himura everything we have just talked about, include a copy of the Wolf's message and also of the possible outcome of his mission. But also write that he should rest for at least four days before leaving again, and that he should not face the Pharaoh if he isn't at the peak of his abilities. Just write it. And tell him the Agency awaits his return." Yamagata nodded, not quite understanding why Katsura would want to include things that normal common sense could see clearly. He would do as ordered anyways. Sometimes the most transparent ploys were the hardest to get after all.

*~*

The soldiers and officers had left the farm except for a small guard of three men currently lounging in the courtyard, comfortable around a small fire with schnapps in their glasses and cards in their hands. Misao wrinkled her nose in disgust. She didn't like these men, unwashed, stinking, with foul teeth and stringy hair, so unlike her Aoshi-sama… pain shot through the girl's heart.

"Jiya," she suddenly asked without turning from the window at which she stood, "Jiya, why do you think Shinomori Aoshi…" she couldn't continue. Her trust in the old man had almost been shattered when he had told her that he himself had once led the Oniwabanshu. The farm as a decoy for people extraction was a brilliant idea, and once Misao had been explained the reasons why she had been kept in the dark about it all she had been able to understand- if not to forgive. It pained her to know that even after two months spent together there wasn't enough trust between her and the farm Oniwabanshu to let her in on their secrets. Her slim shoulders slumped down in defeat. She couldn't even bring herself to talk normally to Jiya like before…

"Why he has joined forces with the enemy? He was too young when I burdened him with the responsibility of leading the Oniwabanshu. He got obsessed with his duties as leader and burdened himself even more than I had burdened him. When his men died and he didn't even have a chance to protect him… well, he broke. He put the blame for the whole fiasco onto one man, the man you know as Himura, because he would have died if he had only himself to blame. He grew this obsession, to make the Oniwabanshu into a legend more powerful than that of the Battousai, and to achieve his goal he saw but one way- to ally himself with the enemy. He didn't know, yet, that the Regime was the mastermind behind everything that happened in Paris- he thinks it was the Battousai's fault for not reaching them sooner, he didn't even know that Himura was as much betrayed as he was, perhaps even more. And when he got to know these facts- he was in too deep already. He is haunted by demons, and he has become a demon himself. Misao, you must not meet him again. He has to be put out of his misery- I hope you understand. I'm going to ask Himura to do so since I'm no longer capable. Shinomori Aoshi is already dead- you have to let him go, too."

Tears fell onto the windowsill, blue-green eyes once again unable to hold their promise to never weep again. "Yes, Jiya," Misao whispered, but inside of her the last shards of her heart collapsed.

The evening sun painted a vivid array of colors on the white walls of the farm's living room, a group of riders lead by two tall men visible in the distance. The longing in her eyes was replaced by dull acceptance as the shadows grew and the world turned black and white. There was no hope anymore- but she still lived. Nobody should be forced to outlive hope.

… to be continued …

_Uh… another slow chapter. The next one will be much faster, rest assured. And checked by a professional spellchecker… mine is on holidays at the moment, sorry. Anyways, what awaits you are new villains, the meeting of Kenshin and Okina, carrier pigeons from the Agency, another mad flight and… okay, I'm not telling anything else. Perhaps another glimpse of the past, though…_

_Yasai: You are horrible. Listen to yourself rambling once in a while, please! And then tell me you're sane…. If you can! Now, answer your reviewers!_

_Yes!!! _

**Reviewer's corner**

**_lebleuphenix_**_: Horribly sorry about the typos… there's an awful lot of them, I know, but one of my beta readers, the one who usually does the spellchecking, is not available at present… Thank you ever so much for mentioning it, though. When I get around to it I'll do a complete revision… *grins* I love WAFFy scenes… hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!_

**_Queen of Shadows_**_: More Aoshi/Misao… hope you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!_

**_Natsuko_**_: Yup, you're right (or your dictionary, whatever^_^). Ley-béns-ahp-shnits-gey-fair-teh. Whee… brownie points to you! *grins* I almost overstrained my wrist the first time I tried that particular trick on a piano- it's much easier when you don't meet any resistance trilling… Ankle is itching- sign that it's healing ^_____^! *grins* Did I ever tell you I love answering your reviews?_

**_Brenna_**_: Wowie, you had a lot of work to do with Chapter 11, did you? I'm sorry and I'll work on my Aoshi-characterisation- promise!!! _

**_Darkening_**_: Whenever I try to make more time for my writing I get another load of homework, so sorry, can't manage more updates. I have about a half an hour a day for writing, to answer your question. As to whether the fugitives will be found… wait until next chapter_

_All readers: THANK YOU! And please feed my muse!_

_Yasai: Need… reviews… HUUUUUUNNNNNGRRRRYYYYY!_

_Argh! Don't eat me! Eat that one! *runs off*_

_Yasai: Myam!_

_*in flight* Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan _


	13. Chapter 12 Con te partirò?

_Ciao!!! _

_Good news! I have by now settled into the old rhythm of school… there is one thing that never changes: School. Is. Boring. I am bored out of mind… and the teachers have caught onto me writing my stories… now they want to see my notes… I **never** write notes, where's the fun in it? When you write notes it's no challenge to repeat a lesson in your mind three days later. I don't want to be any more bored than I have to be… so I may not write **anything** during lessons… teachers are evil, evil creatures! *grins* At least I've become faster with my homework, almost back to my old tempo, even though I have almost 1/3 more subjects… so now I can write in the evenings or on weekends unless a piano concert/competition is due (it's the season), or there's something else, like movies or theater… I think I'll be able to manage my two stories and weekly updates on SL after all! And to top it off, the heavy cast around my ankle's come off and a lighter one has been applied. This one's a little more flexible and allows me to wriggle my toes, besides, I finally don't feel like I am lugging around twenty extra pounds anymore! *sighs in relief* Now, I'm letting you off the hook. Enjoy the story!!! _

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_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

* * *

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes.

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**Chapter 12 **

**Con te partirò? **

Days and nights- the difference became unknown to those cooped up underground. Kenshin would always announce when the soldiers had left, and soon after a dejected and tired-looking Misao came to bring them food and water. Gruesome peacefulness, forced silence, tense watchfulness and waiting, waiting for the time they would finally be able to leave their hideout again blurred the hours together into one boring uniform nothingness. To just sit around, not to be able to do anything due to the cramped conditions, no certainty about what went on in the world- the fugitives' nerves lay blank, and after the first big fallout they'd had everyone was just careful to keep quiet since Kenshin had reminded them icily, eyes blaring in molten gold, that the soldiers would certainly investigate ghostly voices from the underground. 

Kaoru and Yahiko probably were the least affected by their situation. After having accepted that she would be stuck in that hellhole of a room- as much as it had seemed a paradise at first, now there was hardly anything paradisiacal about being shut off from sunlight and fresh air- Kaoru's quick mind had devised a way of training with the insolent little brat of a boy, as she called him in her mind. Mostly, it consisted of the two sitting opposite each other spouting insults while she demonstrated with her smoothed and shaped wooden stick- she had asked Misao for a knife so she could make it into something resembling a _bokken_- how to hit someone over the head… well, actually she demonstrated how to hold it correctly, how to make the wrist function in just the right mixture of rigidity and flexibility, of strength and suppleness. Yahiko had had some problems with that, his grip always a little too tight, his hands always a little too focused on strength alone. She had to explain- and demonstrate on the rather appreciative demonstration object of the student'd head- a million times how flexibility and the quick reactions that came with it were as decisive to a battle as raw strength. 

Still, the boy had been stubborn and had insisted on using too much strength- until Kenshin had surprisingly intervened, giving up his silent watch at the entrance and coming over to them. His eyes, rimmed by dark circles showing he didn't sleep as much as he should, had wordlessly asked Kaoru for permission, and after her nodded consent he had gripped the makeshift _bokken_ tightly in a two-handed grip similar to Kaoru's, the sinews on the back of his hands standing out in stark whiteness against his lightly tanned skin. Kaoru found herself fascinated with these hands, long and slender fingers seemingly too fragile to exert the strength that lay within them, the play of muscles and sinews under smooth skin on the upper side, slightly chipped, short fingernails at the top of the fingers a little broadened by the calluses on their underside. His joints were prominent, the skin covering them rougher than the rest, a little redder, a little thicker. Not like Sanosuke's- the tall man had the hands of a fist-fighter, with very rough and thick knuckles and skin that had been ruptured more than once, not like those of a farmer, completely rough troughs and stark gnarly appearance, with prominent veins and crooked joints, but not like the manicured fingers of a noble either. Kenshin's hands were remarkably similar to her father's… 

"Break my grip," he asked Yahiko. The boy looked up at the red-haired sword master questioningly. 

"How?" he asked, his dark, black-brown eyes betraying his insecurity while he clambered to his feet. 

"Imagine you have just caught the blade in your hands and are now aiming to twist it out of my grasp, please," Kenshin answered smilingly. 

Hesitantly, Yahiko grabbed the _bokken_'s blade with both hands, confusion on his face until it lit up in sudden understanding and he gave a sharp twist of the wrists. To his utter amazement, the _bokken_ flew out of Kenshin's grasp and, sine he had not expected it to be so easy to rob the agent of the weapon, flew across the room into Sano's snoring face. 

"Oi!" the rooster-head grumbled indignantly, "what is it this time, Missy?" Yahiko couldn't help but laugh. 

"So this is how Kaoru manages to wake you up!" Megumi exclaimed before she suddenly became conscious of the fact she was leaning against Sano for comfort, and quickly sat upright. "I should learn that, too!" 

"Don't you dare teach Foxy how to wield that stick! She would be unbearable!" It was something akin to panic that tinged Sano's voice, but the amused sparkle in his eyes told the group he didn't mean it. He playfully grinned at Megumi, who scowled in mock anger. 

"Oh, I do know some uses for a stick already," Megumi stated haughtily before retrieving the _bokken_ and giving it to the still laughing Yahiko. "I believe this is yours, Yahiko." 

"So it was the brat!" Sano grumbled under his breath, settling back into a more comfortable position (and incidentally getting closer to Megumi again… not that he intended to associate with a Fox, of course…). Yahiko grinned at him, taunting him, but the tall ex-Sekihoutai simply closed his eyes again. He wasn't about to let a brat annoy him when his arm was around the shoulders of a beautiful physician-agent… and for once Megumi let Yahiko's behavior slip as well, her mind occupied with the pleasant warm feeling radiating from a thinly clad, muscular arm and hand hanging across her nape and down her arm. 

"That was good, that it was," Kenshin said as Yahiko returned with a triumphant expression on his face, "it was rather easy for you to take my weapon, wasn't it?" He took the _bokken_ from Yahiko's hands again, holding it in the same position as before, only this time his hands seemed relaxed, his grip almost too lose around the handle to even hold the weapon steady. "Now try again," he said, an encouraging smile on his lips. Yahiko grinned arrogantly. "Sure thing!" 

Twenty seconds and five failed attempts later a lightning-quick turn of the _bokken whipped the boy, who was clinging to it with all his might, off his feet and onto the floor. _

"You see now, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked gleefully. The boy rubbed his smarting posterior. "Shut up, _Bu_-" 

Their banter wasn't even given a chance to start as Kenshin suddenly gripped the hilt of his own, steel sword hanging on his hip tightly, his eyes narrowing and acquiring a dangerous glint just a second before Okina charged into the underground room. The sakabatou was out of its sheath and at the intruder's neck in a flash, and only the supernatural reflexes of its wielder saved Okina from serious injury. Apologetically, Kenshin looked to the floor while resheathing his weapon, then leading the startled farmer into the room.

"I'm sorry, Okina-dono, that I am," he said, searching the older man's eyes and meeting understanding. 

"_I'm_ sorry, Himura-dono, I should have announced my presence. But you sure are on guard, that's good." Panting, the old man sat down in one of the chairs vacated by Kaoru and Yahiko. "However, that's not why I came." 

"I figured as much," Megumi said dryly. Sano snickered, quickly falling silent when Okina's expression changed into a serious mask. 

"The Agency sent news, for Himura-dono's eyes only," the old man announced, "could you please read this, Himura-dono?" he pulled a small, white sheet of translucent rice paper entirely covered by neat and narrow writing. Kenshin's eyes never lost their sharp focus as he studied the message, eyes occasionally narrowing as though he had received some unpleasant news. Finally, the hand holding the thin sheet into the light dropped to his side, a tired look stealing onto the agent's face. 

"Thank you, Okina-dono," he said, crumbling the paper in his hands and, under the watchful eyes of the rest of the fugitives, walking over to one of the candles they had lit in the room in addition to the provided lighting. Before anyone could protest, the slip of paper had turned into a brightly burning flame and then into a few flakes of ash falling onto the linoleum-covered floor. "I will treat the information as confidentially as Katsura wants me to." 

Okina nodded, getting up from his chair. "I have to go upstairs again, but if you need anything besides the usual things which I will prepare simply ask for it when Misao brings your food later." Kenshin nodded his thanks, his face darker than ever, the light smile he had worn while showing Yahiko that Kaoru's teachings were useful and good gone, his eyes troubled and shadowed by more than just his unruly red bangs. 

"Tonight we have to leave," he abruptly stated once the secret door had closed behind Okina's back, "so we should all rest now, that we should." Dropping down onto the floor in his customary place and position he slipped out of his shirt and, without any sign of discomfort, unraveled the bandages from around his torso and shoulder. The wounds were nothing but healing scars by now, scabbed and red but no longer open. Discarding the white wrappings the agent shrugged his shirt back on, very much aware of the scrutinizing two blue eyes were doing but trying to ignore it and the reactions it evocated from him. 

"Won't it be risky to leave with all the soldiers still crawling around?" Sae asked, her eyes wide, recognizing the tension in the air for what it was yet unable to contain her own anxiety, thus breaking the electric stare fixated on Kenshin and freeing the agent from its confines, leaving him able to look at the rest of their ragtag group with barely held back anger at himself and his superiors and fear for their safety. He tried to smile at the little girl sitting at the back of the room, but it ended up a rather pathetic attempt of a smile so he quickly dropped is gaze to his feet, sullen and quiet for the moment. Tsubame, who had regained a bit of color and a little of what her personality might have been before the Camp, hid behind the two women who were her caretakers and looked at the young red-haired man who suddenly was all gloomy and spooky and not as easygoing anymore. Distinctly, the girl recalled how that man had fought against the creepy officer with the yellow eyes, and how his eyes had glowed golden all of a sudden as well. 

"Aw man. That's bad news!" Sano complained, "I was countin' on a few more days here. At least I might get to fight some…" 

"Your hand is not healed yet. Idiot roosters who drop parts of barracks on their hands should not fight at all," Megumi hissed, more annoyed than angry, "and Ken-san, you know it takes _weeks_ to properly heal bruised and broken ribs. And Tsubame is not out of danger yet. She will die if we have to run for more than two nights in a row. I think you should reconsider this, Ken-san." 

"I fear I can't do that, that I can't. Our spies within the Regime told us the Pharaoh himself is coming to these parts, and that means even more soldiers, that it does. We have only three days. But the good news is that we also have only two more nights until we reach the border, that we have. Apparently I took a longer road to Camp Freedom than necessary, that I did. Once we have reached the border, you know that there will be agents waiting for us and helping us along, that you do." The agent's voice never wavered, but an apologetic undertone had stolen its way into the soft-spoken words. Letting his gaze wander around the drab, shabby little room and the seven refreshed-looking people with the courageous smile on their faces a little smile curved his lips in an upward arc. They were special, more so than he had ever thought people could be. 

"The Pharaoh himself?" Megumi whispered, a mixture of disbelief and fear in her bewildered cinnamon eyes. "I didn't think he even existed… or that he was real. The stories about him are even wilder than those about Battousai… and to think that he…" 

"Who's that 'Pharaoh'? A living mummy out to frighten little children?" Sano asked, shifting his straw from the right corner of his mouth to the left. 

"Yes, who is he, Kenshin?" Sae, Tae, and even Tsubame, asked. 

"He's the leader of the Regime military and secret service. He's a cruel man, and he's very dangerous." Kenshin answered truthfully, telling them only what they needed to know. 

"And what are those stories?" Yahiko asked eagerly. A myth like that of Battousai- imagine seeing it come true! The boy's eyes shone brightly, his whole life one big adventure, and even that hole of a room suddenly not so bad anymore. 

"Some say he is an _oni_, others think he was once an Agency member who turned his back on his comrades and fled, he is supposedly ten feet tall, breathes fire and has a weapon that spouts a flame ten feet long. He is said to eat his opponents alive and torture his subordinates with burn torture. To me it seems like he has some serious pyromaniac issues…" Megumi recounted what she had heard. Kenshin smiled and nodded. 

"Those are the stories, that they are. And this fire-breathing _oni _is what I want to avoid meeting, that I do. So, we have to leave tonight if we don't want to run into him. Saito, Shinomori Aoshi and all of their men are out there, but I think we will get away, that I do. Sano, I'm counting on you to look after the women, that I do. Miss Kaoru, you'll protect Yahiko and Tsubame. Now, I think we should try not to get too excited, that I do. Act like you always do, please. Miss Misao might get strange ides if we were different so suddenly. And then she might try to come along with us to-" he trailed off as the faces of his companions showed fear and mortification.

"Follow you where, Himura?" The cavalry had arrived- or better, Miss Makimachi Misao carrying food had come down into the underground shelter. 

"Hello, Miss Misao…" Kenshin said lamely, trying to ignore the blazing green fire that singed him whenever she laid eyes on him. Wincing, he tried to amend something nice by telling Misao he, of course, hadn't _really_ meant to keep their departure a secret from the Oniwabanshu Okashira. 

"Where are you going, Kaoru?" the girl simply asked, the fire in her aqua green eyes dying out too soon for a girl normally so spirited. 

"We want to cross the border three days from now, if I got him over there right," Kaoru said, jerking her head into Kenshin's direction, making the agent resting peacefully against the wall jump. Misao sighed. 

"Okina told you already?" she asked, her voice low and broken. Kenshin met her reddened eyes, for the first time seeing how puffy her eyelids were and how white the girl looked. 

"He wrote it under the message, that he did," he admitted. A dark cloud settled on Misao. 

"I… will you do it? I mean, Jiya told me what… he had done, and I… I…" she couldn't force herself to go on. Kenshin's face became soft as he got up and walked over to Misao, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. 

"I don't want to kill him, that I don't. I promise I'll make him think again, and I'll turn him back to what he was before, that I will. You shouldn't cry, Miss Misao, that you shouldn't." 

"I'm not crying!" the girl sniffled, sounding _very_ convincing. "And I'm going to show you the way to the border. Jiya already said yes… after all, it's a new way for Himura, and if he hasn't seen it even he can't know it, right, Himura? So, you have no choice but to take me with you!" She smiled through the tears, a beautiful rainbow among the fleeing clouds. 

"And then there were nine…" Sano said, shaking his head. His knuckles cracked as he flexed his fingers. "Now that's just more fun!" 

*~* 

The fresh night air, though biting into their skins with an unmerciful chill, was a blessing for the fugitives. The soldiers that always stayed behind were fast asleep, thanks to Okina, Okon and Omasu and a few well-spiced jugs of fine, if a little stronger than normal, alcoholic beverages. It had been a really lively party, and judging from the off-tune singing that reached as far as the underground shelter Okina had had a lot of fun before passing out on the floor. Carefully stepping over the snoring men- and women- on the floor of the barn the nine shadowy figures clad in heavy, dark woolen cloaks the farm people had provided for them made their way out into the starless night. A light drizzle had once again decided to grant the tundra some more moisture that wasn't really appreciated but received nonetheless, even the north star hidden behind the low clouds obscuring the horizon and distorting the shape of faraway hills into monstrous waves rolling towards the shore. 

They hurried across the courtyard and out into the fields, too aware of the blinking lights that signified soldiers scouring the countryside in their search for them. Hastily, they ran along shallow trenches separating one field from the other, crouching low and running in silence, their harsh breathing announced by puffy clouds of white as the cold caught up to their warmth. Never once did they halt for more than ten seconds, darting behind the bushes that grew along the edges of the fields, meant to hold the soil in place lest it fall prey to erosion, meeting the ground intimately on more than one occasion if a light flickered too close to them for comfort, all the while stared at from the two candles lit in two windows of the farm, like eyes out of the night, watchful and distracting. 

Only after the last trace of these lights had disappeared they halted briefly, drawing from their inner reserves to still their breathing, drinking from flasks of crystal clear, heavenly cool water hanging from each of their hips, wiping sweat from their brows that had accumulated due to running with the cloaks on, tilting faces up into the drizzle to cool off, but smiling elatedly as the thrill of the nightly flight raced through their veins like molten fire, warming them from the inside and lending them strength that normally would have been unreachable. Even Megumi simply accepted it, her mind too flooded by happiness to think about adrenaline, endorphins and serotonin. 

"Wow! You're good, Himura! Even I didn't know there were so many possibilities to hide this large a group between here and the house!" Misao whispered, her eyes reflecting what little light of the rising moon the clouds let through. She set her backpack down, sighing with relief as she straightened her back. Kaoru did the same, scowling at Yahiko who had his open and was munching on some of the bread he carried as part of their provisions. Tsubame's cheeks were flushed, but a smile graced the little girl's lips as Megumi bent over her to check her temperature. "I'm fine. This is more fun than last time," she whispered. 

Sano grinned at her. "Life's too short to be bored for even an hour of it," he quipped. Megumi shot him a dark look that shut him up effectively. "I personally have come to appreciate a little boredom. It means not to be hunted, shot, or being interned." Her argument was too strong to be opposed. 

"Please, let's continue. If we don't hurry we will be caught in the open when dawn comes. I know a cave where we can hide, but it's quite a distance from here." Misao capped her flask and checked if her little _kunai_, knives she could throw with deadly accuracy, were in their place and easily accessible. 

"Alright." Kaoru and Yahiko were the first to be ready, but within seconds, all nine shadows rushed through the night again. The planned route was not really strenuous, but distances were vast in the tundra- and there was only one certainty with plans: what people planned and thought never came that way. 

*~* 

Saito had the feeling that something was awry. He couldn't help himself as he lighted the second cigarette in ten minutes. Something definitely wasn't right, and the Wolf would be damned before he ignored a gut feeling this strong. Shinomori, who was riding next to him, looked at his companion. He had read his _ki_, presumably, or he had the same feeling, or both. Blue eyes shot through the night like lightning when Saito lit the searchlight on his saddle. 

"Battousai isn't here anymore. I think he's on his way again," Aoshi declared in an even voice. Saito couldn't hide his satisfaction that someone else knew what he had felt. He reined his horse, stopping on the spot. 

"We're going to catch him, no matter what, Shinomori. Call the soldiers, and we'll head for the border." 

"He won't be there until the day after tomorrow. There's now way he could have acquired enough steeds for all of his friends. Let's have the men rest, and then we'll ride full force tomorrow and catch him unaware." 

"Alright. We'll do as you say," Saito agreed. 

Twenty-five horses thundered back to the farm. 

*~* 

The day was spent sleeping in a dry, deep cave hidden in the hills that had been visible in the distance the day before. Huddled together for warmth, the dark cloaks serving as blankets the fugitives slept with one eye open and trained towards the cave entrance, Sano and Kenshin refusing to let their guard down altogether and denying themselves the rest. Megumi scowled at the two men, but met the iron resistance both hid so well most of the time. Finally, the doctor succumbed to sleep, slumped over and curled up like a small child. Sano straightened her uncomfortable-looking posture, resting her head on his backpack and stroking her long, beautiful black hair. 

"How'd you meet her?" he asked. Kenshin looked into the bright sunlight not quite reaching their hiding place. 

"She was a medical student at the university working part-time in the hospital the Agency used when any of its agents were injured, that she was. I had been shot on an easy mission. My superiors, of course, reprimanded me for allowing myself to be injured on such a simple task as an assassination within our own territory, that they did- but they had had a group of formidable bodyguards, and I was caught off guard by one of them carrying a gun, that I was. Miss Megumi was the one who dressed my wound after the bullet had been cut out. She asked me what I had done… and I just told her to forget, that I did. Apparently, she did. It's been two years since, that it has… 

"Later, I heard she was involved into a major rip-off and scandal. The local mafia had been blackmailing her into giving them morphine from the hospital, that they did. I helped her out of there, but she doesn't know, that she doesn't. From then on, she has been working for the Agency, and they decided to send her here- as a spy. She was caught, and I went to retrieve her, that I did." 

"She hasn't had it easy, has she?" Sano blinked at the dancing lights the sun played across the entrance of the cave, "I always took her for the girl who learned ballet and playing the piano as a child and grew up protected and stumbling into your Agency by chance." 

"She did learn ballet, that she did. But her parents died when she was still a child, and her relatives didn't want anything to do with the daughter of the heretic Dr. Takani who had broken with too many traditions practicing medicine in the West, that they didn't. Miss Megumi has raised herself. She had a full stipend for medical school, and she's about two years younger than the others there, that she is." 

"She's done a fine job of it. She's a real foxy lady," the tall fighter acquiesced, "I don't know why I even think I might… I mean, I was a gangster, I don't have any education, I even have a hard time reading… and then there's you and she…" 

"Miss Megumi is special, that she is." Kenshin said, motionless, watching, unlike the fidgeting street fighter next to him, "please, watch out for her, Sanosuke." 

The night came faster than any of them would have expected. A quick meal of dried fruit, fish, cold rice and stale bread later the nine travelers set out again. The pace was slower this night, but the air even colder and the weather even nastier. Fog obscured the sight, light pounding and creaking sounds from trees and hills protesting the cold wetness impairing the hearing. The group hastened across open planes and along deep ravines, a grueling, breathless traveling. Nobody asked for a break, even Tsubame bravely trotted alongside Tae and Sae. Kenshin seemed tenser than the night before, stopping more often, his brows drawn together in a frown more often than not, his eyes hard and the quiet breathing even more controlled. Bewildered, Kaoru studied his crouching posture. He was a spring coiled up for action, and the girl started wondering if there had been something else in that letter of Okina's, something the agent hadn't told them. 

"We're almost at the border," Misao whispered shortly before dawn. Rose tinged the horizon as the sun rose itself from slumber, as lazily as a cat lounging on the hot tin roof of a shed. The fugitives' steps quickened, their pace picking up speed as they flew towards the invisible line that separated them from freedom and safety. 

"Sano, go ahead, take Tsubame, Sae, Tae and Megumi, please," Kenshin whispered, his back pressed into the walls of the deep trench they used for cover. The border hills were crawling with soldiers, their _ki_ screaming out at Kenshin, his nervousness hidden behind a mask of steely resolve. The last stretch of open land between them and the thing they didn't dare hope for loomed ominously ahead, covered in blood under the light of the rising sun. Sano nodded, scooting closer to the point of no return, finally breaking into a dead run, rugged breathing pounding in his ears, blood singing the song of freedom, the child and women next to him, his strides limited to keep them by his side. They crossed the small creek, no more than a frozen sliver of white on the stark brown earth that marked the border. 

"They made it!" Misao cheered, barely keeping herself from jumping up and down. "Now we go!" 

"Now we go, that we do. I hope everything will be alright, that I do," he fixated his gaze on Kaoru's sparkling midnight eyes. Kenshin nodded his consent, and the last four darted across the open expanse, Misao up front, Kenshin bringing up the rear, their shadows dancing around in the red morning. The border was directly before them, now under their feet… Misao crossed it, then Kaoru and Yahiko. Kenshin sighed in relief and hesitated for a second, staring at the line of white, a murmuring little vein of life in the summer, now hidden behind its frozen mask… 

His right hand rested on the hilt of his weapon, blue-violet eyes showing the happiness of a flawlessly carried out plan. Remembering, he started again, his right foot carefully preparing itself to set down on the opposite side of the border. He smiled at the eight people awaiting him, smiled at the prospects of a peaceful life he had glimpsed in this short moment on a glowing morning. 

A single shot shattered his dreams and broke his promises. The shadow fell, the morning losing its glory in the course of a deafening, roaring sound. "If you move, Battousai, we'll shoot them." The voice left no doubt that the wielder of the gun would indeed do so, and the bullet barely missing the agent's ear left no doubt he was capable of doing so. 

"Kenshin!" Kaoru lunged forward, reaching towards the border, held back by Sano and Megumi. "Kaoru, no!" 

"So we meet again, Saito, Aoshi." His voice was cold, his eyes even colder, dark, smoldering gold colored in blood by the light of the sun. "What brings you here?" 

"Don't ask what they want, Battousai. I have put off our meeting far too long." A third rider joined the two flanking Kenshin on either side. This one carried the gun, smoke rising from the barrel, the hat he wore concealing his face but giving his identity away nonetheless. 

"The Pharaoh," Kenshin spat, his eyes narrowing in contempt, "only you would dare to threaten people already on neutral ground." 

"Why, you remember me! I'm flattered the one who took my position knows of me!" He goaded Kenshin into rash reactions, but his taunts only resulted in molten amber staring him down in his most intimidating death glare. "Why, I think I know why they call you a demon," the Pharaoh snickered. 

"Oi, you freak, Pharaoh, or who you are, why don't you pick a fight with someone your size?" Sano had let Kaoru go, Yahiko and Megumi now clinging to the enraged girl for all they were worth, and had jumped across the frozen creek to stand next to the silent figure of the red-haired agent, his figure bathed in reddish gold. 

"Oh, it's the idiot," a bored voice drawled. One of the riders dismounted, yellow eyes lit by the light of his cigarette. "Amazing he's made it this far without a brain…" 

"You!" Sano snarled, the memory of the wolfish looking officer strolling through Camp Freedom readily coming back to the surface of his mind. 

"AOSHI-SAMA!" As the second rider dismounted a desperate cry tore itself from the mouth of Misao, her pleading eyes turning to azure as the sun decided to make her definite appearance. 

"Misao?" Despite himself, Aoshi turned around to stare at the girl, her cloak dirty and torn, her braid disheveled and becoming undone, but her eyes as bright as ever as she looked upon him. "Aoshi-sama," she mouthed across the border. 

"Shinomori Aoshi, don't you see what you've caused and lost? Don't you think you should wake up and get back to what has been waiting for you forever?" Kenshin said, his eyes alert and trained on the motionless figure of the Pharaoh. 

"Oh, Battousai, you still haven't gotten over that blabbing habit of yours… well, that can be changed. Take him away, Shinomori, Saito… oh, and don't even think of resisting. I'll shoot the girl if you do." The gun swiveled until it was trained onto Kaoru's head, the blue-eyed fugitive ceasing her struggles against Megumi and Yahiko's grasp. 

"You won't take Kenshin without a fight!" Sano roared, charging towards the horseman threatening Kaoru. His steps covered the ground with impressive speed, faster than most fighters could even think of running. 

"Idiot," muttered a certain officer, simply extending his sword to the path of the fighter, ramming into his chest and sending him to the ground where he lay breathlessly in a sprawled heap. "Seems like he wants to join Battousai." Sano blinked up at the cigarette- smoking face, scowling, a look of ultimate hatred in his eyes as dark as molasses. His world went dark with an arrogant chuckle and the hilt of a sword striking his temple. 

Kenshin clenched his fists as he saw Sano go limp when Saito struck the downed fighter. "Coward," he hissed, amber eyes burning with angry fire. Aoshi seized his arms, but he dared not resist and let the taller man twist his arms on his back, painfully high so he could not even dream of using him- all since the Pharaoh's gun was still trained on Kaoru on the other side of the creek. 

"And this is how to catch a Battousai," the man on his horse quipped, the gun's barrel now pointing to Kenshin himself. "How easy it would be to shoot you now, the famous assassin killed by a single bullet, and by his predecessor, too… what a pathetic thought!" 

"You are nothing but a traitor, Pharaoh- or should I say Shishio Makoto? _You_ are the one who is pathetic!" Despite his knowledge that it was futile he struggled against Aoshi's grip now, grimacing as pain shot through his barely healed shoulder. Aoshi tightened his hold on the lithe agent, twisting his hands around so that every attempt at moving would dislocate or break his wrists. Kenshin fell silent, hate glaring from liquid fire eyes.

"Take him away," Shishio waved nonchalantly, "he blabs too much! Oh, and you over there, don't follow, or I'll shoot him, and then the other one." 

Kenshin stared back across the creek, at two pools of midnight blue overflowing with tears. His heart clenched, but he knew he was helpless. I will come back, he vowed, his gaze turning soft and violet as his hair turned as golden as his eyes had been under the rays of the first sunny morning in weeks while he watched the blue-eyed girl clutch the fabric of her cloak in a death grip, her smile hidden behind the rainclouds her tears conjured. 

"Goodbye, Miss Kaoru," he called softly, and she buried her face in her cloak, her black her shining in blues and violets as the morning sun broke through the clouds and shone, a brilliant light upon the seven people on the other side of the creek. "Goodbye." 

… to be continued … 

* * *

_*crickets chirping* So I chickened out on the action again this chapter… but the next one will consist almost completely of fights and action, so I didn't want this one to end with one, too… anyways, I have some more explanations for you... and, of course, review responses!_

**_Oni_**: _Demon- I think. I got it from my cousin, so blame her if it's wrong ^.^ _

**_Serotonin_**_: a hormone/protein found in chocolate and bananas among others. It makes us happy and, in combination with adrenaline, fuels the body and drives it to greater endurance and strength. _

**_Con te partirò_**_: I will part with you/It's time to say goodbye in Italian_

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**Reviewer's corner:**

_**Natsuko**: Well... school doesn't bother me much, it's just the boredom that gets me and wants to stop the flow of creative juices... that's why I love to hear from you so much! Makes me feel excited, and excited Chibi=writing Chibi_

_**Queen of Shadows**: Wow, thanks! And I think I will be able to keep my pace- so don't worry, next week the show will go on ^___^!_

_**lebleuphenix**: Will have action after this chapter... and I like the Egyptian fetish- idea a LOT! I think there might be something along these lines... _

_**Darkening**: Uh, you know, about Hiko and katsura... I just don't take Hiko as the type of guy who'll call ANYONE except Kenshin by their given name... and Katsura exudes enough authority to stand up to Hiko and call him Seijurou despite his friend's teasings..._

_**Asuka-chan2**: Whee, thank you for all the reviews! I almost couldn't believe it! Hope you liked this chapter, too._

_**Brenna**: As always, thank you for betaing and all your wonderful ideas!_

_**all**: Hope you enjoyed reading, and please leave me a review to tell me about any stupid mistakes I made (I'm sure there are many), what you think and... who you think will be the new character in the next chapter *grins*!_

_Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	14. Chapter 13 Circle Line

_Ciao!!!_

_Another week, another update... unfortunately my style beta wasn't available yesterday,perhaps some changes will be made when I upload the next chapter, but her preliminary report stated all was OK. So,without further unnecessary words, let's go to..._

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**Chapter 13 **

Circle Line 

Amber eyes softening into an array of colors to rival the sunrise captured hers, her inability to reach out to them breaking her heart. Her world narrowed down into the small stripe of land he occupied, then into his face, his eyes, until a brief shadow of pain dulled their brightness as long lashes fluttered over those deep, wise pools of violet streaked gold. His words tore her to shreds with their force, burning her heart into a shriveled black smoldering mass of charcoal, the agony nearly sending her spiraling into the same darkness hat had to embrace him as he fell, slowly, his hair lagging behind his body in a streak of bloody silk. Her mind was unable to process the sounds he had made, frozen for eternity racing at the speed of light, but her heart had reacted, the fire keeping it alive dying and leaving her a shell, devoid of what had made her shine. 

"No..." a monosyllable, uttered by a voice that came from her mouth but wasn't hers. She wondered who had said it, since it couldn't have been her, she was still caught in that one moment when his eyes left her to fall shut as his body tumbled downwards, such a graceful fall... 

The two men were loaded onto two horses whose riders were a little lighter than the rest, their arms and legs swinging like fleshy pendulums in vacuum, without a will, without resistance. Next to her, she was dimly aware, was Megumi, a lonely tear spilling from her eyes and down her alabaster cheek. Misao seemed to be frozen like her, the lively ninja girl stiff and silent, _kunai_ twinkling at her feet where she had dropped them. Her turquoise eyes had lost their luster and dully stared at the retreating form of tall, trenchcoat-clad man who was as unresponsive as when he had first arrive! d. The shell-shocking event of seeing the youngest Oniwabanshu member alive and in enemy territory nonetheless had worn off, the shock of discovering her aiding his enemy had worn off, and his defenses were back in place. She could not reach him anymore. 

"Aoshi-sama!" She whispered his name, husky, tinged with tears unspilled, her voice managed to reach his ears despite the distance between them. He turned around, hard as it was on him, with Battousai's voice grating on his nerves. Go back to what he had... he could not do so. He had sold his soul to the devil himself, and had to follow his master to hell now. 

"Bring them to my residence," the Pharaoh commanded, waving his hand at the men waiting for his commands before reaching inside his elaborately styled robes, red, beige and golden tunic shining as he stepped forth from the shadows, drawing forth a long pipe and a roll of tobacco, stuffing his pipe as though he had all the time in the world and lighting it so fast neither of the seven fugitives staring at the strange display of! supreme confidence saw him do it. His gloves were as black as the night as he put the tobacco back into the pocket they assumed was on the inside of his strange, Egyptian-looking robes, lacquered with some strange substance so that they reflected the garish purpur of his tunic. His face was still hidden underneath the strange hat he wore, a contraption looking like a mixture between a twelfth-century style helmet, the double pschent of the Egyptian Pharaohs of old and the feathered hat French musketeers tended to wave around when encountering a lady. These 'feathers' obscured his face from view, growing out from a ring of buckled steel that led into a high tiara styled like a pschent. The one thing that stood out, however, was his eyes. A deep red color, the glowed from the shadows, sending chills down the spines of those watching him intently from the other side of the border. 

"You... give him back!" Yahiko cried, anger coloring his face red as he balled his fists at his side and prepared to leap at the monster just standing there, no more than thirty feet away from him, smoking a pipe. Somehow, Megumi managed to catch him, holding the enraged boy back as he futilely struggled against what he perceived as his own weakness.

"Yahiko, stop it!" the female agent commanded sharply, her voice carrying just a hint of the pain she felt in her heart. Her hands trembled as they clenched into the shoulders of the boy, deep, red marks where her fingers bore into his tanned skin attesting to her strength. Finally, he calmed down enough so that she would risk releasing him, now her hands, too weak, useless, hung limply by her side, her poise and elegance slandered by the turmoil inside her heart and mind.

"Pathetic," the pschent-adorned head spoke, his black-gloved hands lightly tapping the ashes out of his pipe, ashes that fluttered towards the ground like birds shot out of flight. "There's that little girl, crying like a fountain… then we have Agent Takani, our bait, one of the infamous Oniwabanshu who doesn't realize she was just being led along because of a promise to her father, two kids, and two poor women who don't know what befell them when they were interned and when they fled. Pathetic. Go home, you'll be the prey of the strong there as well as here. I don't have any use for you. I have Battousai… he'll be an amusing toy. Breaking him will be rewarding… and that roster seems to be Saito's new toy, I won't interfere with one of my army captains if he wishes to play with the weak… you all are too weak. Leave now, or I'll have you shot."

The fugitives stood in helpless fury as the Pharaoh mounted his steed, his strange garments covering his whole body and spreading an out-of-place cheeriness so much in discordance with the man who was wearing them that it was painful to watch. "Goodbye!" He tipped his fingers to the brim of his head and was off, a clownish figure were it not for his cold aura, disappearing into the rising sun. His words had mirrored Kenshin's.

"Kenshin…" Blue eyes lifted from the ground just to encounter a lighter shade of their color in the sky. The seven people standing helplessly in the middle of nowhere weren't even aware of stealthy shadows approaching them, gentle yet rough hands grabbing their elbows and leading them away into the distance, into safety. Their souls ripped from their bodies they followed, uncaring, lifeless, separated from their true essence, parted from their lives. And the distance grew with every passing second…

*~*

He groaned as he came to, head swimming in distant pain, his body still unaware of itself as the hazy outside world swam in and out of focus. His eyes were closed to the world, lights too bright to be real dancing behind his eyelids. The first sense to return to him was olfactory, the sterile, lemony aroma of a hostile environment tangible on his tongue. Tasting the air with a rattled breath, he concluded he had to be in some kind of hospital.

Seconds later, the sounds he could catch confirmed his suspicion, the biting smell enhanced by clanging, sharp sounds resounding through long and empty hallways whose floors had to be coated in a thin layer of elastic material to muffle footsteps to a persistent thudding.

Finally, he dared to venture into the world of the seeing, heavy restraints trying to force his eyes shut broken as he blinked into the yellowish whiteness of artificial lighting. His body felt heavy but not uncomfortable, apart from the pounding ache at the back of his head he was alright, he assumed. His hands, however… they seemed to be missing, no sensation of touch came from the tips of his fingers and his wrists were dipped in ice burning into his skin.

He suppressed a yelp of pain as he tried to move and sharp agony flared out from where his arms met his hands. He was bound, hand and foot, and lying on a wrought-iron bed whose frame was covered by a thin mattress and one worn linen sheet. That, and a small stripe of the wall, lined in black, protective plastic was about all he could see.

"Damn that stupid Saito… he didn't have to hit me so hard," Sanosuke grumbled, pulling his lanky body into a sitting position, fighting the vertigo and sickness in his stomach as he did so. His first impression of his prison was that it was far more comfortable and spacious than he had expected. He even had his own little bathroom, attached to the main room by a broken wooden door. The main room contained the western-style bed he had been dumped on, a fragile-looking table and a woven willow chair that was slightly sagging in the middle of its seat. No windows, just a single light bulb in the middle of the room, attached to the ceiling by a long cable that ran into one corner and disappeared into the flaking plaster of the wall.

"What a cozy apartment," he remarked to himself, "and all to myself!" His wrists protesting his every movement with a flare of agony he tested his bonds, finding them far more pliable and easier to break than expected. Quickly discarding the broken ropes he flexed his fingers, the blood returning into them as it could circulate freely again turned the ghostly white digits a brilliant red reminding the young ex- Sekihoutai of Kenshin's hair.

"That took you even longer than I thought, idiot," a scalding voice stated. Sano turned his head so quickly another dizzy spell gripped him tight and he had to close his eyes for a few seconds before regaining the ability to focus them on the lean man standing in one corner of the room.

"Saito. What do you want?" Sano spat.

"What? I just wanted to smoke in peace. No such place as a cell to do so," The other man put on a look of feigned innocence, one eyebrow drawn up to enhance the look but only serving as a reminder of his sarcasm to Sano.

"Don't give me that crap, Saito. What do you want?" The wolfish man watched him from the corner of yellow eyes before turning on the heel of his boots, cigarette in hands, and leaving the cell, a soldier on the outside opening and closing the door for him. So they were watching him…

"Idiot!" So Saito couldn't resist throwing at least one insult at the young man in the cell. Sano scowled and shot the closed metal door a dark look as it clanked shut with a bang. I wonder how Kenshin's doing… he thought.

The subject of Sano's thoughts was currently blinking in confusion, his head swimming from the blow he had received but his thoughts clear nonetheless, senses alert. Nothing could prepare him, however, for the view of two beautiful midnight blue eyes staring at him when he woke up, eyes that looked suspiciously similar to Kaoru's. Only their narrower shape and more angular position marked them as different from the young woman's. Trying to move the agent found he was lashed to the strong metal frame of the bed he was lying on, hands and feet securely bound by handcuffs of steel, his sakabatou nowhere in sight. Struggling against his bonds he winced as he felt the cold steel of the cuffs bite into his wrists. The figure of the owner of these orbs swam out of focus for a second as he used all his strength to try and break free. Those blue eyes twinkled down at him, eerily void despite their happy luster.

Focusing his thoughts onto his presumed jailer he noticed the weapon he carried on his hip, ceasing his struggles immediately upon doing so, waiting for a better chance. He had to get his hands on that sword… be it a real _katana_ or just a sufficiently convincing prop was of no consequence to him, though the way the young, blue-eyed man- who still was a bit blurry since tears had welled up in Kenshin's eyes as the pain threatened to split his head in two- carried it hinted it was the real thing. Blue-eyes moved closer to him, carrying something in his hands, something wet, judging by the dripping sound that accompanied his soft footsteps.

"Oh, hello, Himura-san. How are you?" a cheerful voice greeted him while strong hands pressed a soft, cool cloth onto his forehead. "Mr. Shishio told me to look after you!" White teeth flashed him a broad grin as the cloth was taken away again.

"Oro? I am fine, that I am, thank you very much," the agent answered, disorientation overpowering his helpless rage at being captured for the moment.

"My name is Seta, Seta Soujirou, and if you need anything just ring that little bell over here!" A youth- he couldn't be more than seventeen years of age, Kenshin reckoned- with very dark brown hair and those blue eyes stepped back from the bed the agent was lying on. Carefully the agent turned his head, muscles in his neck straining as the bindings tried to hinder his movements. The boy smiled at him, these ever-flashing teeth reflecting the yellowish light of the single light bulb that lit the room- since the shadows only ran in a single direction the agent had already deducted there was only one source of lighting. He was small, that Seta Soujirou, he was very lithe, and probably fast, too. His build was too similar to his own for him not to be, in a way, similar.

"Seta Soujirou, could you please tell me what the Pharaoh wants with me?" Kenshin asked calmly, acting as confident as a man in control of the situation despite his rather unfortunate circumstances. He carefully moved his hands so that they crossed at the wrists, luckily both hands were cuffed to the same strut. He needed to stall the boy, needed time.

"I'm afraid I may not tell you, Himura-san, Mr. Shishio forbade me to talk to you. He says you are dangerous. Are you dangerous?" He sounded childlike, innocent, so unlike the emptiness his eyes conveyed.

"Why did Shishio capture me, then? If I may not know what is to become of me, please tell me _why_!" He didn't care if he sounded pleading, his right thumb had found just the right place, at the base of his left thumb, the little indentation that showed where the joint was connected to his metacarpals… and the boy was standing in the door of his cell, opening it just a little. He had to keep him in there!

"Mr. Shishio didn't tell me- what is it, Himura-san?" The boy was observant, Kenshin had to give him that. The agent hadn't been able to suppress the slight wince when he swiftly dislocated his thumb, slimming his hand and making it possible for him to slip the cuffs off, something he had had to do more than once in the past, and something he would never get used to. At least his hands were free now… almost.

"It's nothing, that it isn't. My head just hurts, that it does," he forced out, trying to sound as carefree as possible while popping his thumb back in and sliding the cuffs off the strut.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Himura-san, but Mr. Shishio didn't think you would follow Mr. Shinomori and Mr. Saito without resistance. I hope you're not too gravely injured… Mr. Shishio wants you to be well!" He walked over to the bed again, having already been halfway out the door that remained slightly ajar. Patiently, the agent waited.

"Here you are, Himura-san, another cool cloth. I'm sorry you have to remain cuffed, but Mr. Shishio thinks it's too dangerous to set you free- huh?"

Kenshin had moved with the lightning speed he was famous for, reaching for the boys' sword as he darted towards the door. His fingers curled around the strong metal of the sword's sheath, and with a rasping motion it was gone from the Regime sympathizer's belt, a tool to carry the young agent to safety. His eyes flickered in the feeble light of the single bulb fighting futilely against the shadows, the amber he had tried to suppress all the time coming forth with a vengeance as he realized he wasn't at camp Freedom the second he stepped through the door.

"Where am I?" he hissed, keeping his distance to the blue-eyed boy who had followed him out of his cell and into the hallway. "What is this place?" The hallway was long, bending slightly into what the agent assumed was a perfect circle. Neon lights were the only source of light, no windows or doors were visible as far as Kenshin could see, only whitewashed walls, flat and sterile.

"Mr. Shishio had you brought to his private hideout, Himura-san. There is no way out from here… so will you please give me back my sword?" Pleading, the boy- who was indeed just as tall- or not so tall- as Kenshin himself held his hands out, "I really like it, Himura-san."

"I'm sorry, I can't give it back just yet," Kenshin said, amber-ringed violet orbs scanning the infuriatingly plain walls for a way outside. His senses tingled with the proximity of danger, and he threw his body aside just in time to evade the tranquillizer dart shot at him. By the time the sound of the gunshot followed the agent had vanished into thin air.

"Huh? He's really fast!" the boy grinned, his eyes darting from one side of the hallway to the other, following a shadow invisible to everyone but him, "Mr. Shishio is right- he _is_ going to be a lot of fun!" reaching behind him, the boy pressed a small, red knob in the wall. A part of it slid aside to reveal a secret storage unit, one of many along the circular underground prison of the Pharaoh. Grabbing the weapon hidden inside he gave pursuit to the blurred outline of a figure that Himura Kenshin was to him, smiling all the time as he imagined how it would be to pit himself against the agent.

*~*

Slender fingers massaged a tense back, a lilting, beautiful voice whispering terms of endearment into his ears while Shishio sipped at the wine in his glass, savoring its fruitiness and sweet, earthy taste. Imported from France, this Burgundy was one of the best wines in the world- and add to its wonderful teasing of the powerful Regime military's taste buds the exciting program his surveillance cameras provided him with… ah, life was good!

"Come, sit down with me, Yumi my dear," he asked, one black glove covering a pale hand trying to ease the strain between his shoulder blades. The gorgeous woman slipped around the couch's leather armrest, her long legs showing off perfectly in the little nothing of a red velvet dress she had chosen to wear. Its impossibly low neckline gave the Pharaoh a view rivaling the Burgundy in its delicacy, no, beating the Burgundy by lengths, and he couldn't resist slipping his black gloves off his hands with one smooth movement, revealing pale skin marred by a few scars but smooth on the upper side of his hands.

"Shishio, what is Sou-chan doing?" the women cooed, her arms encircling her lover's neck seductively. The Pharaoh sighed in delight, caressing soft skin with his calloused fingers. "He is catching us a Battousai, Yumi," he explained, trying to concentrate on the screen showing the two men playing cat and mouse in his prison. Suddenly, a frown creased his brow; Yumi's ministrations forgotten he leaned closer to the flat surface showing an impossible picture: a huge hole in the wall of his prison- leading to the inside, thank the Gods, but infuriating nonetheless.

"That idiot Saito… he let that rooster-head slip out of his bonds! Well… perhaps my faithful wolf decided to have some fun as well… I should send another, though, just to be sure. Could you please ask Anji and Usui to get down to the prison level? There's two little mice running…" Yumi pouted, but without saying a word she went over to the Morse apparatus Shishio insisted on using for passing messages, claiming it was more secure than a telephone. Soon, the incessant clicking of the needle on its pad was the only sound in Shishio's own, private salon.

*~*

Sano stumbled along the never-ending hallway, his one hand steadying him against the wall that seemed to dip away from him, the other clutching his poor head tighter than even the red bandanna that, through a miracle, had made it so far without a single rip in it. He stopped for a second when he thought he had heard the soft patter of feet on the ground, but after shaking his head and listening closely he put the sound off as an illusion his poor, aching head created for him. Reaching towards yet another part of the slanting, curving wall- was it really curving or was this just his imagination as well?- Sano stopped dead in his tracks. Right before him, with his back turned to him, stood the man who, together with Saito, was responsible for the misery Sagara Sanosuke was in. Shinomori Aoshi. Sano had no idea how he had ended up here, but there he was. And in front of the iceman…

"Kenshin!" Sano cried, glad to see the agent alive and well. Though a tad paler than before and looking even smaller in the high, white hallway Kenshin stood proudly, eyes gleaming golden in the neon light, one hand on the hilt of a sword he wore on his belt, the other clutching the _saya_ in a white-knuckled grip. Between Aoshi and him another person crouched, in a defensive position, holding a bare blade in a double-handed grip. Sano blinked, rubbed his eyes, and blinked again. That person was just as much of a boy as Kenshin was… or even younger. His short, brown hair was cut in a bowl cut framing his face, some strands haphazardly hanging across his forehead and obscuring deep, merry blue eyes. A lopsided smile cut dimples into his rosy cheeks, but his tense muscles belied his cheeriness. Sano only had time to briefly wonder who that boy might be before the stalemate between the three men was broken, broken by the simple motion of Aoshi taking one step forward.

"Battousai," Aoshi growled, fists clenched into the off-white material of the trenchcoat he wore over his Regime uniform. The boy straightened, smiling at the infuriated ex-Oniwabanshu Okashira.

"Mr. Shishio promised you to be the first, right?" he said. Sano shook his head. That smile was starting to creep him out…

"I will fight you now, Battousai," Aoshi stated evenly as the blue-eyed boy stepped aside, moving towards Sano who involuntarily took a step back. That grin…

"I don't really want to fight you, Aoshi. But I promised Misao I'd do my best to bring you back, to help you find again what you once had, that I did, and so I will fight you if it has to be that way, that I will."

"I have waited for this fight far too long, Battousai. It has taken me six months, six months to find new allies, allies that would aid me in your destruction. You do know who Shishio Makoto is, don't you? He is the one who sent her- Tomoe. She was General Akira's fiancée, and when she was heartbroken after his death he used her to lure you into a trap in Paris. The Oniwabanshu were just casualties… _just casualties_ he called them. It _is_ your fault they are dead. Had Shishio not striven to obliterate you they would still be alive-and the most feared assassins, spies, agents of all time. You will die now, Battousai, to give my men the honor they deserve."

Without waiting another heartbeat Aoshi charged, the trenchcoat fluttering to the ground uselessly as he blurred into a multitude of illusional images of himself. Kenshin stood waiting, tense, drawn, eyes flashing amber, every muscle ready to spring into action in the mere fraction of a second. Sano held his breath. He had never actually seen the agent fight, and by the way that Aoshi moved… well, he just couldn't imagine the- he had to admit it- shrimpy redhead to be faster, stronger, better than that traitor.

Two blindingly fast strokes with both the sword and its sheath later he revised his assessment. Kenshin _was_ faster and better than Aoshi, though not necessarily stronger. The tall man had only barely managed to catch the agent's first strike with his double blades he had pulled from the sheath that had been hidden beneath his billowing trenchcoat, the second had hit him across the ribs and sent him stumbling back, gasping.

"I am not wounded this time, Aoshi, but you don't know what you truly want. Your confusion weakens you, and your dwelling on the past is not helping you either, that it isn't," though his eyes were that of the dangerous, deadly man Sano had only seen emerge once Kenshin spoke as politely as ever, making the ex-Sekihoutai wonder what spirit possessed the agent to make him address his enemy in such a manner in the middle of a fight.

"You talk too much, Battousai. There is no confusion. I need to avenge my men, then I can join them in peace." He attacked again, blades clashing, red blossoming on the right hip of Kenshin where the taller man had managed to slip through his defenses by using his greater reach. This time it was the agent who drew back gasping, his left hand grasping his injured leg. Aoshi attacked relentlessly, his twin blades held like scissors before him, catching the agent stumbling and drawing blood on both sides of his neck. Kenshin fell, but caught himself on his strong arms, flipping upright again, this time fully prepared to meet the taller man with all he had and beyond.

"Aoshi, don't you see? There's one still alive, one who needs you more than any of your dead men. She has followed you as far as she could, if you went to hell she would go there, too. But she is still a girl, and she is in love. Why do you have to break her heart? Wake up, Aoshi, the past is the past, I had to realize this myself. I loved Tomoe, but I had to let her go, for my own sake as much as for hers. Let go of your futile quest Aoshi. Wake up to the present and _use your brain and heart both for once_!" The agent's voice was as sharp as his blade as he rushed forward with blinding speed, vanishing from sight only to reappear behind his opponent, panting, his sword held in a peculiar stance rectangular to his body, an odd mixture of an offensive and a defensive posture.

Aoshi swayed, nine spots on his black uniform quickly growing in size, one on the outside each arm and leg, his chest, a hairline cut where his scalp met his forehead, one on each side of his body and one on the inside of his thigh. "What… what have you done? I didn't see… that technique coming. I can't… lose, can't die like this… Misao…" he pitched forward, towards the ground. Breathing heavily, Kenshin slid the sword back into its sheath with practiced ease, a remorseful look crossing his features as he flicked the blood off the blade first.

"At least he realized what was important… he won't die if you take him away now, that he won't." He sounded broken, hollow, his voice disjointed from his body as he jerkily moved to stand upright. "Sano!" His eyes widened, for the first time since realizing Soujirou was chasing him and suddenly finding himself opposite Aoshi he realized the street fighter was there. "So you got out as well?"

"Sure wasn't easy," Sano grinned, rotating his right wrist, "I think I sprained my wrist and broke some more bones in that hand… but at least I got out. How about we ask these guys to take Shinomori to the infirmary?" He jerked his thumb at two figures running along the circular hallway, both tall, both muscular. One was the living impersonation of a mountain, the other… Kenshin didn't like the way his _ki_ felt, like that of a snake having become human.

"Oh, looks like Mr. Shishio sent reinforcements!" The grinning kid suddenly had taken his position between Sano and Kenshin again after having somehow vanished during the fight between the agent and the 'traitor'. "I think I'll ask Mr. Anji to bring Mr. Shinomori to the infirmary. Then I can fight you, Himura-san, and Usui… he can play with your friend, okay? Over here, Mr. Anji, Mr. Usui!" He waved the two new arrivals over.

"Mr. Anji? Could you please take care of Mr. Shinomori? That would be very nice of you. And Mr. Usui, could you fight Himura-san's friend? Mr. Shishio promised me I may fight Himura-san himself first!" The two men only nodded their consent. Apparently the kid packed some punch, Sano thought, if he could order men easily twice his age around.

As soon as the mountain-man had loaded Aoshi onto his back and was making his way towards the (presumed) exit of the prison Soujirou turned towards Kenshin, smiling his brightest smile ever. Usui the creepy, meanwhile, eyed Sano as though he was thinking about dislocating his jaw and swallowing him whole, something that made the tall fighter nervous enough to crack his knuckles. "Let's start this party," he drawled.

And the party was on.

… to be continued …

* * *

_Okee… so this was Chapter 13. I hope you liked it and are looking forward to the next chapter as much as I am… Yuppieh! Even more action next time! Soujirou gets to fight Kenshin… perhaps we will find out why Kuzu Ryu Sen and not Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki was used… and then there's, of course, the question of what Kaoru, Misao, Megumi, Yahiko and the rest will do! Now, as always, some info… _

* * *

**_Circle Line_**_: reference to London's famous subway route circling the city. Following Circle Line will always get you back to from whence you started… _

**_The circular underground prison_**_: I visited the DESY (German Electron Synchrotron) this week… and somehow that location just screamed 'prison' at me, with its white walls, the neon lights, and no visible doors of anything in the ring… _

* * *

Reviewer's corner

**Asuka-chan**_: sorry, no fluff this time… but there will be lots and lots of it, very soon! These girls are not giving up ^_~ _

**CurlsOfSerenity**_: Whee! All of it in one session? You must be a very patient reader! I usually update SL every Sunday, RtK whenever I can. You know what? I'm going to check out your fics now… or ASAP, I have to play the piano tomorrow, another of these concerts *sigh* Cya soon!_

**Natsuko**_: Ispiration is high, timme is low... I think I have another hectic week before me, but who cares, right? The Italian-Spanish problem is always in my mind as weell... I constantly mix them! My cousin has been huggled and I told her she was right- makes her more than happy! Now, I've g2g again, there's that piano concert waiting... ^_^_

**lebleuphenix**_: Chapter and action have arrived! And now there's another action one coming up next week! Yuppieh!_

**Brenna, D-chan**_: Thanks for your encouragment guys, how was your trumpet thingy D.? And Brenna, we'll get together sometime this week!_

**all**_: Thanks for reading, and Cya around!!!_

_Chibi-chan_


	15. Chapter 14 Retournés

_Ciao!!! _

_My cast is off, my cast is off, my cast is off, my cast is off, my- _

_Yasai: Chi, it's OK, the friendly men in white are on their way… _

_Geez, I'm just happy that I can finally move normally again! Now there's training to do, physiotherapy, I need to build my muscles again- highjump is out of the question for a few more weeks, but fencing helps so I will start intensive training again. Dancing is OK, too, and since I'm fifteen I will have my first dance course starting October 6th. Yay! Of course, I will have to be able to do classic ballroom dancing once I graduate… and it's only eight more months until then… Ry is helping me, albeit grumpily, since I still have trouble walking... we'll be going to the same course... poor twin ^____^ _

* * *

_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

* * *

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

* * *

Chapter 14

** Retournés**

****

Soujirou gave Kenshin a cocky- seeming smile as he freed his sword from the restraints of his sheath, casting a wary glance towards the left, where Sano- he had caught the tall fighter's name when Himura had thrown it- and Usui faced off. His hands never wavered, even though his opponent was a man who had many more legends stuck to his name than anyone else. "So, Himura-san, shall we?"

Kenshin didn't even acknowledge Soujirou. His eyes glinted dangerously, his face showing nothing of the struggle and turmoil his mind was going through. With Aoshi, it had been a matter of honor to fight, it had been necessary since the older man wouldn't listen otherwise, but with this kid… the agent allowed his eyes to narrow as he remembered that most people would see him, too, as a kid when meeting him face to face. He hadn't even cracked the mark of twenty years yet, but six years of service with the Agency had made him twice as old as his years. He hardened his resolve to break free of his mental restraints. He would and could use that sword, he swore, even though it was sharp-edged and deadly. It was to protect, one last time… 

Sano's fist connected with Usui's jaw, a hollow crack sounding remarkably similar to a gunshot echoing around the circular hallway. Kenshin spared the fighting pair a quick glance. Usui, having underestimated the ex-Sekihoutai's speed, was on the defensive, barely holding his own against the whirlwind of well placed fists and feet Sano used to attack him. You are going to make it, Sano, Kenshin thought, his encouragement so strong it seemed palpable as his friend gave him a quick grin between two punches, I believe in you! 

He turned his attention back to Soujirou, his mind clear of fear and doubt. He would do what he had to do to make the dream of the eight people he had come to care about in the last few days come true, and to make the world a safer place for their children. The Pharaoh might be strong, he might seem like he had the advantage, with his endless supply of troops and his control over the place they were fighting at, but he didn't have what it took to win: the will and the heart. 

A heart… His left hand briefly touched the scar on his face, the mark of trust and betrayal, of love and of hate and of a future yet unborn. My heart still lives… and my will is bound to someone else. I will make it! A shadow falling on his face returned him from his thoughts to the outside world. A sharp gasp escaped his throat as he realized just whom this shadow belonged to. 

"I think there is someone else standing between you and Battousai still, Soujirou." 

"What? What is this?" Soujirou looked positively puzzled as he whirled around, only to find himself staring at a broad chest clad in a dark blue garment soaked through with blood. Sano stopped attacking Usui, who meanwhile had managed to at lest free his sheath from his belt and defend himself with lightning-quick movements of it, and drew in a sharp breath as well, letting it out again in a whistle. "Whee! Look who has returned from the dead!" He remembered Usui, then, when his opponent's strike hit him right in the middle of his abdomen. Doubling over, he cast one last, apologetic look at the three persons standing opposite each other and resumed the pattern of attack and defense, now made much harder since he had given Usui the time to draw his sword. Dodging the blade, he concentrated on the snake-like man's movements, only half aware of the presence of the other three anymore.

"Did you really think I'd go down this easily, Battousai? I am far more than a mere _onmitsu_. I am the Okashira of the Oniwabanshu. You are held back by your beliefs. My beliefs make me stronger. You can't kill me, but I very well can. Come, now, we have a fight to finish!" Aoshi stood tall, proud, his trenchcoat discarded and partially ripped to shreds to serve as bandages for the wounds his body sported. He was pale, much more so than ever before, but the insane fire in his eyes had rekindled itself and had grown to new heights. "I have knocked out that fool Anji once I came to. There's no way I won't finish this." He took another step towards Kenshin. 

"You have tried to distract me with all that talk about Misao and her suffering, but you have forgotten one thing: even though I may have been betrayed as were you, I am not one to forgive and forget such betrayal. You are the cause of it all, if not for you, I would still be the proud leader of the finest ninja group in history. You _will_ die- now!" 

"Aoshi, don't." Kenshin, who had been frozen in place by the sudden reappearance of an opponent he had thought defeated, found his voice again. "There's no need for you to fight me. Shishio was the one who orchestrated the whole betrayal. He sent his General, and with him Tomoe, to us. He is the one you should direct your revenge to, but if it makes you feel better, I'll take the blame. Misao needs you. If you still need to fight me, I will. I regret being the one to kill your men, however indirectly, that I do. If you want to heap the responsibility for that onto my shoulders, please do so. But don't hurt those who need you any more. If I fight you again, promise you'll return to Misao, no matter what the outcome. I won't fight you otherwise, that I won't." 

"Very well then. No matter what the outcome, I will find Misao and see her one last time. Now, prepare yourself to die." Aoshi took one step back, drawing his twin weapons out of their long sheath. Soujirou, caught in the middle, shrugged and stepped out of the way. 

"But I'm next, alright, Himura-san?" He stopped once he was ten feet out of reach and warily eyed the two warriors circling each other. Kenshin couldn't help but wonder what made that boy tick, literally speaking. He couldn't be normal, not with that smile. 

"I don't want anyone to die, that I don't," he replied evenly to Aoshi's challenge, keeping his musings to himself. His opponent scoffed at his remark, the brief flicker of emotion on his pallid face the only sign he was human- apart from his bleeding wounds. 

In the blink of an eye Aoshi flew towards Kenshin once more, his twin blades held in the scissor position he had hit Kenshin the last time with, this time, however, he was calling out the attack name as well. 

"Oniwabanshu no Nittou Kodachi Ryuu, Goko Juji!" A flying leap carried Kenshin out of the path of the scissoring swords, towards the vaulted ceiling of the circular hallway they had chosen as their fighting terrain, but Aoshi's body reacted just as quickly, angling the blades upward to catch the agent between them, slicing him in half once he descended from the apex of his leap. 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu Tsui Sen!" Kenshin didn't have a choice but to catch the twin blades with his own. The added weight and momentum from his aerial attack allowed him to break Aoshi's technique, a somersault across the balance center of the three blades intertwined in a braid of deadliness and a quick jab with the knee of his behind leg sending the Oniwabanshu onto the floor. 

"Don't underestimate me. Your men don't wish your death, Misao doesn't wish your death, I don't wish your death, that I don't. But the way you are fighting now, as a ghost of yourself, you cannot win. It is easy to throw everything away, to just leave it all behind, that it is. You, Shinomori Aoshi, are not fighting for your men. They are but a ruse to disguise your true incentive, that they are. You search for a way to join them, to die honorably… but all that is just a disguise for the bloodlust that inhabits you!" 

One of the two short swords came rushing towards the agent's head, narrowly dodged like the rest of the assault. "Silent!" Aoshi thundered, the scalding tongue of the agent wounding him deeper than his sword could. 

"Isn't this already proof that I am telling the truth? You are fleeing from yourself to avoid having to think, that you do. But no matter what you do to me, these four won't come back to life for it! Don't you realize you are hurting their memory? You are but a coward, Aoshi. Face your weakness and don't always blame it on them! It's time to reclaim the pride you have lost. Time never stands still, that it doesn't. Wake up, Aoshi!" The last attack was broken with a slash of Kenshin's katana blade, sending one of Aoshi's weapons spinning into the wall on his left. 

"You do realize I still have to finish that fight? I can't move on before that!" The tall man went to retrieve his weapon from where it was lodged in the wall at the height of his shoulder. Pulling it free, he turned to face the agent, his eyes a sharp, glittering blue that held the promise of strength and commitment. 

"That is alright for me, that it is," Kenshin replied, his face losing its tense, pained look for the first time since the beginning of the second round of the fight, his eyes glittering in a hypnotic mix of a light cobalt blue and yellow gold, bearing down on his opponent despite him being a good foot shorter. 

"Alright, Kenshin, show him!" Sano held a pretty beat-up Usui by the scruff of his neck, the unconscious snake-man only protesting against that harsh treatment with feeble groans. The agent smiled at his friend, relieved to see that at least one fight was already won before turning his full attention back to Aoshi. An almost imperceptible nod from both fighters was their signal, in the blink of an eye their blades clashed, sparks flying from all three of them. 

Aoshi's greater reach and weight gave him the advantage in close combat, Kenshin's only hope lying in his agility he barely dodged the double-slash attacks that Aoshi could employ with deadly precision because of his mastery of two blades at once. He managed to catch one of the _kodachi_ with the _tsuba_ of his sword, temporarily inhibiting its movements, but failed to see the hilt of Aoshi's other weapon coming for his ribcage. With an agonized cough he slammed against the wall, his left hand clutching his ribs while his right held onto the hilt of his _katana_ for dear life. 

"Nittou Kodachi Ryuu, Onmyo Hasshi!" His only warning was the harsh battle cry the Oniwabanshu Okashira gave before a _kodachi_ came flying towards his face with ungodly speed. It's a technique similar to Hi Ryu Sen, using centrifugal force! the agent thought as his blade met the speeding one in mid-flight, flinging it to the side. 

What? There's another one? the second _kodachi_ flying directly behind the first had escaped Kenshin's attention, and he had to throw his body to the side in a bone-jarring impact against the floor to avoid being skewered. His left shoulder, however, last on the downward arc he forced his torso into, didn't quite make it, a long slash appearing vertically across it. And Aoshi's punch caught him in the jaw, throwing him in the opposite direction before he could even hit the floor. 

"Urgh!" was all he could say as the metallic-sweet taste of his own blood threatened to choke him. Pain lanced through his shoulder and ribs when he met the hard ground in a tumbling roll, his breath coming in short gasps as he forced himself to his feet again. Aoshi had retrieved his weapons and was pressing the attack, and with his back against the wall, the agent was hard-pressed to defend himself from the slashing and stabbing of the twin blades. 

Finally, an opening presented itself to him amid the shimmering arcs the sharp edges of Aoshi's _kodachi_ wrote in the air. Pushing himself forward, teeth gritted against the pressure he forced upon his injuries, he broke through the barrage, one slash of the _katana_ enough to avoid certain injury, one stab with his sheath into Aoshi's kneecaps felling the taller man, buying the agent enough time to apply his special techniques in a whirlwind of skilled precision. 

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Sou Ryu Sen- Ikazuchi!" With blinding speed first the sheath and then the blade sprang from their resting place at the agent's hip, both strikes faster than what his opponent had been anticipating and preparing to block. Kenshin's sheath glided down Aoshi's parry, but his sword continued unhindered towards the Oniwabanshu's neck. Panic rose like bile in his throat. Exerting supreme control he flipped the blade in mid-strike, the blunt edge flying at Aoshi with slightly diminished but still god-like speed. It struck the seventh _Halswirbel_, effectively paralyzing Kenshin's opponent. Aoshi crashed to the ground, his full length splayed across the off-white-and-olive plastic of the floor. Kenshin dropped to his knees, breathing deeply and trying to calm his racing pulse. 

"Oi! Are you alive?" Sano prodded Aoshi with the toes of his left foot. Even without moving a muscle in his face Aoshi managed to look indignant. 

"Can you get up?" Kenshin got to his feet with the help of his _katana_, wincing as he pulled the sliced muscles in his shoulder. Aoshi contemplated his question for a second, his sharp blue gaze turning inward. 

"Not yet. Your strike was quite effective," his eyelids threatened to fall shut as pain clouded his features. "I will keep my promise, Battousai. You have kept yours." 

"Thank you, Aoshi," Kenshin nodded, sliding the _katana_ and its sheath back through the strip of cloth that served as his belt. His pants were remarkably intact if the state of his shirt was taken into account. That rather resembled a random array of strips of cloth fluttering from two muscular shoulders. The original beige color was indistinguishable since it had been dyed with mud, water, dust, blood and sweat until it was a dark, dirty brown. Sano snickered as Kenshin made his way over to him. 

"You look like a scarecrow, Kenshin," he grinned. Kenshin smiled back at him. 

"I'm sorry but I will have to remain that way for a while still, that I have." 

"That's right, Himura-san. After all, it's finally my turn!" Soujirou walked forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his _katana_, his blue _gi_ and _hakama_ pristine and perfectly pressed. 

"Oh, I almost forgot about the smiling freak," Sano said, a little taken aback by Soujirou's sudden move. "But he won't be a problem for you, will he, Kenshin?" Dark delft-blue eyes studied him from head to toe. 

"I don't know," Kenshin finally answered, the similarities between the boy and him more apparent now that they stood directly opposite each other. 

*~* 

The Agency hideout near the Regime border was much more comfortable than any of the homes Kaoru and the other women had inhabited for the past few months. Situated in a turn-of-the-century apartment house each of them had been given their own room, even Yahiko and Tsubame. All of them were rather depressed, their successful escape marred by the loss of their two companions. As much as the agents that had led them to the safe house tried to cheer them up, all of them were rather down, and not once had a smile graced either of their faces. 

"Tae and Sae are waiting for you in the common room." A young agent going by the name of Tsukioka Tsunan came into Kaoru's room, studying the prone figure lying on the futon facing the outside wall with a sigh. That girl hadn't even once moved, all she did was cry and lie there, looking out of the window that faced towards the Regime. "They ask you to have a cup of tea with us four, Miss Kamiya." The young man blushed when he thought of the 'four'. The twins Sae and Tae had taken a liking to two of their rescuers, Tsunan and his twin brother Katsuhiro. Of course, their feelings were not one-sided… 

Kaoru didn't answer. The frozen lump in her chest that had taken the place of her heart refused to even acknowledge the presence of another living being in her room. All she could think of were those gently smiling, amber eyes turning blue as he said goodbye to her… and how he fell, without a sound, as though he had only been a dream… she sighed, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes into the futon once more. His shoulders slumping down in defeat Tsunan decided to leave her alone. She would someday overcome her depression, but until then… well, he wasn't a psychiatrist. He gave up after a few minutes, Kaoru just wouldn't budge. A pity, since this tea meeting would be where they would plan the rescue mission for their missing companions… Megumi, Misao and Yahiko working together had been too convincing, and the Regime having caught the Battousai was just not tolerable. 

"Ka-o-ru!" Why, oh why couldn't they just leave her alone? Misao in all her energetic bounciness was the last thing the depressed girl needed. 

"Yes, Misao?" She turned to face the young Oniwabanshu ninja. Misao was wearing her full ninja garb, her _kunai_ ready at her belt and a small knapsack over her shoulder. 

"Kaoru, what are you still doing in here? We're going to look for Kenshin, Sanosuke and Aoshi! Megumi is ready already. Now, come on, after all, we don't want that goodbye to be forever, right?" Kaoru didn't answer, just buried her head under the thin blanket. Not again… 

"You are getting up **now**!" Misao robbed her of her cover, "we're leaving in two hours. Katsu and Tsunan are going to accompany us, and I'm sure Yahiko won't stay behind as well. Sae and Tae won't go, since Tsubame needs some rest, poor girl is all shaken. Now, what do you say? Aren't you willing to go find the man you love?" 

"Man I love?" In spite of her pitiful state Kaoru bristled, "whoever said I loved that stupid… man?" Misao laughed at her, she must have been a picture with her braid loosened, her Yukata disheveled and her face puffy and flushed from crying so much. 

"Ah, deny it as much as you want, Kaoru, but I know you are in love with him! After all, I know how you feel- I have my Aoshi-sama!" Her eyes unfocused as she dreamed about how she would find the only one who inhabited that special place in her heart. "I just _know_ Himura will make him come back, and then we will be together forever. Now _why_ are you still lying there? Come _on_!" 

Kaoru never had the sliver of a chance. In the two hours Misao had given her she was washed, dressed, and packed. Standing in the front hall of the house she waited together with the ninja girl for the others to come down. Somehow, during all these hectic activities, her heart had started beating again. Just hold on, Kenshin. I'm coming for you. You know- Misao _is_ right and I _do_ love you, even though I don't really know you… 

"All set?" The identical twins Tsunan and Katsu were the ones to lug the heavy equipment around. Even though each of the rescuers had been given a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol for defense purposes they were the ones to carry the heavy artillery, their blankets and the survival tents. Megumi nodded. The agent for all the world looked like a rich young woman going on a safari tour, the hardships of the past months forgotten once she had found a pair of fresh clothes and was once again freshly washed. Her hair had regained its luster, and even her lips were painted red. When Misao had questioned her about that, she had only laughed, the illusive fox ears Sano swore she sometimes sported popping up. 

"Just because the rest of you are tomboys and savages doesn't mean I can't look like a woman, does it, weasel girl?" Misao had nearly skewered her with her _kunai _when she mentioned the nickname Saito had given her. Only the timely intervention of Tsunan and Katsu had saved the physician-in-training from serious bodily harm. 

"Now, let's all calm down and start this operation. We have three camouflage jeeps at this base, although we would technically need only one for five persons we're going to go in two, just for safety reasons. Once we have reached the border, we will have to keep strict radio silence. We don't know where Shishio's hideout is, so our only chance lies in finding tracks of the horsemen's passing. As remote as the territory is, we won't risk capture. If we are spotted, Katsu here will drop a smoke bomb, then we split and make a run for the border. Each one has been assigned a partner?" Nods from all the other four assured Tsunan that was indeed so. "Good. You will look out for your partner, meeting point is the other side of the creek. However, we hope this plan will not have to be used. Now, let's go and find ourselves an Agent and…" 

"A rooster." Megumi inserted helpful. Tsunan chuckled. 

"Operation Agent Chicken it is. Off we are!" 

*~* 

Shishio was enjoying himself immensely. Not only did the second round of fighting between Aoshi and Battousai far surpass his expectations, but there was also Yumi, having returned from her duty of sending messages, sitting on his lap massaging his shoulders. His hands were occupied with the most pleasurable task of stroking his woman's soft, reddish-brown hair, his eyes feasted on her creamy face and pouty lips, and the sweet taste of tobacco accompanied the lingering aroma of the Burgundy wine on his tongue to make for a most intriguing mix. And the entertainment wasn't about to end… Soujirou, his young protégé, the boy genius he had found in one of his camps as the toy of that camp's leader, was now facing the Battousai who looked a little worse for wear, his shirt gone, ripped into bandages that were wrapped around his right hip and left shoulder as well as his neck, but nonetheless dangerous, with his eyes trapped between gray and amethyst at war with amber. 

"Sou-chan seems to be having fun," Yumi purred, snuggling closer to Shishio's warmth as a chill wind entered the building through some creak in a wall. The Pharaoh relaxed, letting his gaze wander from the screen on which the two warriors were preparing to fight each other around the luscious room he had had decorated in the style of an Egyptian grave chamber, complete with traps and entrance hallways to deceive potentially threatening forces. The gold-and-black design of most of his antiques glowed with the dimmed light he preferred since his allergy to sunlight prevented him from ever going out when the light was bright. He would be burned in seconds if his skin were exposed to too much UV rays unprotected, thus he had settled into a life of twilight. The red eyes of an Anubis statue imported from the Valley of the Kings glowed when light from the fire lit in a chimney that was designed after a sarcophagus fell upon them, a bloody red shadow dancing across the Pharaoh's pale features. His long black hair, drawn up into a strict ponytail, his bangs combed back to accentuate the lines of his face shimmered when his lover moved her fingers through it. 

"Why don't we have fun ourselves, Shishio-sama?" she asked. He shook his head, his full attention turned back to the screen and the four small figures, one of them motionless, it depicted. 

"Later, my dear, later," he told her, ignoring her disappointed pout. 

"Then all I can do is watch Sou-chan have fun," she whined, the futility of her seduction already evident. Shishio didn't answer, even though his arms were encircled around her waist his mind was with the two little men jumping and slashing at each other on that screen. Even Yumi, who didn't know too much about sword fighting, could see those two were masters. Somehow, the deadly dance of their blades, the way they circled each other warily only to jab at the other with movements so quick she only saw them after their completion was erotic. The red-headed agent seemed to have the advantage, his low crouching, spinning swipe having forced Soujirou against the wall., but then the boy recovered, launching himself into a pirouette of sharp steel clanging together with Himura's blade with a force that sent tiny dustclouds up from the floor. 

"What an entertaining show, Shishio-sama!" 

*~* 

Making sure the familiar weight of his _katana_ was safely secured at his side Soujirou tapped his feet in preparation for his next attack. A lull in his close-quarter fight against the equally agile, equally skilled and much more experienced agent had left them a distance apart, catching their breaths, slowing their heartbeats and drawing their concentration together to the sharp focal point on the tip of the opponent's weapon. 

Some part of Kenshin didn't want to look at the man opposite of him, yet he knew he had to. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to drift up over him. Taking in his small stature till he reached his face, his smiling face, the vacant eyes hiding their insecurity behind the sparkle of a smile. He looked different, seeing him now. Soujirou's cold, dark blue eyes focused on the _katana_ Kenshin had taken off him, focused on the moment the agent would attack. The boy stood there in a relaxed stance, but the agent knew that he could move forward at any moment, as was announced by the incessant tapping of Soujirou's right foot.  
Nodding his head, his smile renewed amid the sweat pouring from his brow and into his squinted eyes Soujirou looked at Kenshin, meeting the agent's scrutiny.  
Soujirou could feel Kenshin's eyes travel over him. His face was once more a mask, a mask he couldn't seem to ever put off. When interned in a Camp as a small kid it had been his large, blue, innocent eyes full of tears that had attracted the unwanted attention of the camp leader. His smile, though as securely on place as his sword at his hip, looked strained like he was fighting to keep it there. His right hand was closed over his sword and he watched Kenshin, anticipating his first move. He wouldn't have thought that the agent would be able to pull himself together like this, into a deadly predator with eyes that reminded him of these situations he wished to forget and tried to hide behind his happy face. Silently, he wished that if he were to ever find himself in a situation such as this one that he would be able to show the same courage as the proud man that stood in front of him, sure of himself, even though his impressive chest muscles were bare and heaving with his labored breath, of his abilities, and of the people behind him. But he knew that such a situation would never arise for him. He never let anyone get close to him. 

"Why are you smiling?" Kenshin's question came out of the blue for the young boy. His smile faltered for a second before he reattached it. 

"Eh?" Soujirou stopped tapping his foot on the ground for just a second before he resumed the frantic rhythm. "I am smiling?" 

Sano slumped against the wall, slamming one hand to his forehead. "What is this guy? Dense?" 

Neither Soujirou nor Kenshin heard his words, too intent were both of them on reading each other's movements. As had been the fact while locked in close combat, Kenshin found himself unable to read Soujirou. The boy's smiling mask extended even beneath the surface, his emotions a blank card, his movements not to be anticipated. This troubled the agent more than he let on. In spite of his teacher telling him he must not relay too much on his almost supernatural precognition he had not yet mastered fighting without that ability. His _ki_-senses, finely honed and developed, alerted him to Soujirou's attacks, this much he had been able to establish, but left him in the dark as to the direction they would come from. 

"You are smiling, that you are," Kenshin said, finally pulling himself together again, a smile of his own just touching his lips but not extending to his gleaming eyes. Soujirou looked puzzled, but hid the puzzlement behind a blank stare out of stark blue eyes. 

"You fight well, Himura-san, but I think it is time to end this," the boy said instead of answering Kenshin's question. He felt somehow unsettled by the older man's scrutinizing gaze and sharp analysis of him, as was evident by his question as to _why_. Why am I smiling? Soujirou looked into himself, at the white wall behind which he had trapped his memories. Because you would be crying if you didn't? He couldn't listen to his thoughts anymore. Without warning, he exploded into motion, the motive behind the tapping of his foot finally revealed as his speed reached new levels. 

Sano couldn't believe what he saw- or rather, what he didn't see. Rubbing the sleeve of the shirt he had taken off since the fight against Usui had made the air in the hallway unbearably stifling to him, over his eyes, Sano tried to discern the images that were too quickly changing for his brain and eyes to register them all. He had known that Kenshin possessed superhuman speed when he fought, he had witnessed it in the agent's fight against Aoshi, but that seemed like a slow power-struggle against the race that was on now. Both fighters used their lithe, small bodies to the fullest, twisting and turning in impossible parries and thrusts, evading attacks that Sano couldn't even see but that left deep slashes in the walls. As of yet, neither had hit the other, the heavy sound of breathing and tapping of feet against the hard ground the only sound since both concentrated on dodging instead of blocking. 

The first meeting of the blades in ages rang like church bells in Sano's ears. Sparks flew like fireflies, extinguished against the flickering neon lights on the ceiling. The power behind their strikes sent shockwaves through the air that ruffled Sano's hair and even had the ends of his red bandanna fluttering on the wing. Staring at each other over their crossed blades a strained smile appeared on both fighters' lips. 

Even if I'm crying inside, there's on truth: life is a fight, and only the strong survive it. Soujirou grinned and threw Kenshin back with a flip of his blade. "The strong survive in the fight of life, Himura-san," he said, having finally found the answer to Kenshin's question- in his opinion. 

*~* 

Misao sat in the front seat of the first Jeep as they carefully drove through the hills that led towards the Regime border. Her heart beat faster than the drums at a Salsa gig, her eyes shining in bright turquoise as the scenery flashed by. Hope was what fuelled her change, hope that there might be someone waiting for her wherever she was heading. Himura had given her a promise… 

Megumi seemed impassive, completely at ease, her poise and elegance found in the simple act of showering and dressing in clean, fresh clothes. However, her heart was replaying the few moments she had shared with a certain lopsidedly smiling individual with a penchant for chewing on straws, how nice his arms had felt as they lay on her shoulders, warming her and making her feel herself, taking away the need to pretend, the need to compete, the need to shine with the brightness of her intellect. Even though Megumi was one of the youngest medical students in her country, not to mention an agent as well she sometimes felt lonely, too spent to go on. That brown-haired man with his spiky haircut had taken away that feeling, had filled the hole in her heart that had been there as long as the young woman remembered. She wanted to see him again, if only for a second, to ascertain that feeling, or to make sure it wasn't there. What exactly it was she was searching for on this rescue mission she didn't know, nor did she know whether she would find it. But she would try… 

Kaoru sat in the second vehicle, next to Katsu who was constantly speaking of Tae as he drove, shifting now and then to puffer the bumps and steep hillsides their route took them across. The girl was half-asleep, content in her knowledge that she was in love. Her only desire was to see that love safe, and as the mission she was on as to ensure that safety the anxiety in her heart was suppressed. She knew it would come back once they came closer to their target, but for the moment she simply reveled in the knowledge that she had found her love. She didn't know what she would do once she had found him. She only knew her feelings were true. 

The two jeeps stopped at the border to Regime territory. The sun was setting, but the three ex-fugitives and one Oniwabanshu felt as though much more than twelve hours had passed. It was time to start the rescue mission. 

… to be continued … 

* * *

_Heehee… what do you say, people? I have managed to adhere to the First Rule of Heroism™: The hero always manages to lose his shirt… and not only with Kenshin, but with Sano as well! Yay me!_

_Yasai: Uh… Chi, could you tell me just what you intend to say with that? _

_Huh? Aw, muse, you never watched Galaxy Quest, did you? _

_Yasai: No. I was being sent out of the house when you had that video night… _

_OK, then you can't understand and are forgiven. I just hope you remember what I told you about heroism. _

_Yasai: Yeah, yeah… *bored scribbling of First Rule of Heroism™ on a notepad* Don't you have something else to do besides buggering me? _

_Ah, yes. Info and Reviewer's corner, right? _

_Yasai: *sweatdrop* You're a genius, Chi. _

_Thank you! *smiles* Anyways, here's the usual info… _

* * *

**_What the hell? Aoshi's back?_**_ Now, you didn't really believe I'd make him go down that quickly, did you? _

**_Tsukioka Tsunan_**_: the artist alias of Sano's Sekihoutai friend from the manga. _

**_Tsukioka Katsuhiro_**_: the real name of Tsukioka Tsunan… but in my story Tsunan's twin brother ^_^_

_**Soujirou**: I had to invent a new past for him... so he might be OOC... anyways, more about him in the next chapter! _

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**Dove of Night**_: Love my author's notes? Whee! It's where I hve fun... Ry is grumpy at the moment- he had to practice walking with me and I was not the best of pupils... so I'll tell him right away, and grumpy-twin will turn to friendly-twin... I hope! Teacher killed love of history? Should sic Saito on him! Aku Soku Zan history teacher! (never mind, I'm a little hyper right now...)_

**Queen of Shadows**_: Aoshi going down so quickly? *giggles* I **loved** writing this part. Now we'll only have the coming-to-senses to worry about..._

**EEevee**_: Catch up? Wow, you're a very diligent reader! Thanks for your compliments- my ego has been fed... and my muse as well. She's hardly able to move at all! If I may ask- where in Italy are you? I have not been there in a long time (my family somehow is too busy to go on vacation ...) but I would like to revisit... _

**Asuka-chan**_: Thanks! Hihi, you've got me. Kyoto it is!_

**lebleuphenix**_: sorry if Soujirou was OOC- he and Aoshi are the most difficult characters for me to write... and I've read too many books on psychology, I guess... childishness as a psychological syndrome... I don't know if I can keep that up! *grins* But if it was feeling eerie then I've reached my goal *smiles*. I'll try to make dear Smilie-chan more IC the next time!_

**Jensa**_: Just don't stress yourself too much! I'm looking forward to reading from you, and hope you liked chap 14!_

**Natsuko**_: Ugh! Sewing machines are EVIL! I'm about as talented when it comes to sewing, knitting or anything alike as an elephant... or perhaps even less, since there are rumors that an elephant could crochet... Halloween is so much fun! Wish they had it in Germany *sighs* I would LOVE a Kenshin costume! _

_Ohboy, difficult question, they do so much research there on particle physics mostly... An Electron Synchrotron is a huge electromagnet that looks like a very long, very sleek circular tunnel. They 'shoot' electrons through it and accelerate them, to learn more about the properties of large biological molecules like proteins, or about very diffuse matter, since the 'rays' the speeding electrons form are highly parallel and a unique kind of 'light' especially suited for these purposes.DESY also works as a particle accelerator._

_Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of translating Spanish in under 20 seconds... I'm only a beginner!_

**all readers**_: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked this one as well!_

**Special thanks to:**

**Natsuko, Zei, Kauro-kamiya, Dove of Night**, **Jensa, amie-dono**: _Uh… what can I say? *Chibi gives the word 'crimson' a whole new meaning* Thank you for putting me on your favorite's list! I'm sorry if this sounds inadequate, but I'm slightly at a loss for words right now… just hope it won't extend to writing *smiles so much her jaw starts hurting* Anyways, you made my day! Thanks!_

* * *

_Until next time! Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan and Yasai _


	16. Chapter 15 Trial and error

_Ciao!!!_

_Yasai: Hello! _

_I am truly sorry this is two days late- I somehow reached the second round of the piano competition I was participating in this weekend, and then the third, and then had to stay an additional two days to wait for the final round. I think I will have to change my update day from Sunday to Monday or Tuesday altogether, since Sunday slowly but surly becomes the busiest day of my week. _

_Yasai: Then you had better change it… lazy little authoress! _

_Oi! If you continue to insult me I might just use my author's power to wipe you from the script for my introductions! _

_Yasai: As if you could do without your muse… *is unafraid* Anyways, dear readers, enjoy an action-filled chapter that will leave you breathless *grins and blows chi standing there with a gag in her hands a raspberry* becauseofmyextraordinarytalent! *is gagged and dragged to her bed where Chi ties her down for lying shamelessly* _

_Uh… I hope you don't expect too much, my muse is bragging as always, but I also hope you enjoy reading! _

* * *

_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

* * *

Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

* * *

**Chapter 15**

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**Trial and error **

****

The tracks had been leading straight North as long as they had followed them, and even now that they were on foot they didn't even once change direction. It was almost too easy- but then who was to complain? _Something_ had to go right after all the misfortunes that had hit the poor fugitives… and why shouldn't it be the rescuing of Sano and Kenshin? Heaven knew they deserved a break!

The vehicles discarded for stealth purposes the rescue team made its way through the countryside surrounding a large mansion in the shape of the statue of a cat- Katsu had identified it as the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet- built on a solid square with gilded edges and lapis lazuli striped around the middle in three broad bands. If one thing could be said about Shishio it was that he didn't possess any sense of style whatsoever. The women's hands almost itched when watching the building, wanting to redesign it and make it less of an eyesore, the men's desires ran more into the direction of tearing the whole thing down to alleviate the suffering of spectators.

Creeping as stealthily as possible along the few lines puckering the face of the icy tundra, three hundred miles into Regime territory, deep in the heart of the 'stronghold of evil' as Tae had dubbed it in an unguarded moment, Misao was finally able to show off her special skills by leading what most would have seen as a rash folly rather than an honest-to-god rescue mission towards the single corner of the building that was lying in the shadows of a small batch of windswept trees. They were most likely equipped with boobytraps, trip-wires, alarms and whatnot, but they also presented the only chance for the six people to actually get closer to the building without being shot on the spot.

"Follow," Misao signaled, the crooking of the right middle finger replacing words that would inevitably have alerted the guards. Her small, agile body twisted in on itself as she nimbly flipped over a small, bare spot on the ground that to her represented a sure sign of a smoke bomb or something more deadly buried underneath. Once she had crossed the obstacle, she proclaimed it safe with a flick of the left wrist and helped Kaoru and Yahiko across. Megumi didn't take the offered hand- after all, even though she wasn't particularly good, she _was_ a trained field agent. Katsu and Tsunan brought up the rear, double-checking that they were not being followed before leaping across the booby-trapped patch of ground as lightly as the men could manage. Still, they disturbed some of the leaves, rustling them louder than the wind did, earning them heated looks from all the women and Yahiko, who was trying his best to be actually helpful. He might be a child, but he was strong, and he was making himself stronger as they went.

"Don't worry, I'll be back!" Misao's grin and wave of the right hand told them as the young Oniwabanshu disappeared behind two of the crooked, smallish trees growing more like bushes than what their true nature dictated. A slicing sound filled the air, a short whistle, the thump of something metallic burying itself in wood, and then the ninja girl returned, waving them over, proclaiming the route safe. On her way, Kaoru spotted the two spiderthread wires Misao had cut through with her _kunai_, as well as the slingshot trap she had effectively disarmed with one of the small throwing knives. In front of them, creamy walls painted to resemble expensive marble from Carrara in Italy rose high into the sky, the first lapis stripe that was dotted by small windows barely big enough to let the slender girls or a child like Yahiko slip through, much too high for them to reach. Also, the men didn't stand a chance to successfully enter the building through the narrow openings that wouldn't accommodate their shoulder width.

"We'll lift you up," Tsunan folded his hands into the classic bandit's ladder, showing the way he and Katsu would assist the three girls and the child. Standing against the wall, Katsu on his shoulders, Tsunan gave a slight grunt as Misao's weight was added to that of his brother.

"What have you been eating? Bricks?" he murmured under his breath, low enough so only he should be able to hear it, yet the lithe girl above him apparently did so as well, against all odds, and made sure to give his poor head a good whack with her soft slippers before climbing to Katsu's arms who then lifted her up in an impressive display of strength until her fingertips just brushed the windowsill underneath the nearest opening.

Peering into the semi-darkness of the room behind it and seeing neither a camera not people watching, Misao flexed her legs and quickly grabbed hold of the sill, balancing precariously on the tip of her toes. Reaching into a rather large pouch on her belt she withdrew a small screwdriver and crooked, sturdy wire. Within seconds, Megumi deftly caught the falling glass and frame, and Misao disappeared into the interior of Shishio's private hideout. 

Studying the bare, whitewashed walls of the room she had broken and entered into the young ninja girl smirked at herself. It had been Aoshi who had taught her how to get into houses using these methods, and it had been the only department of ninja skills where she had ultimately been able to beat him- her smaller hands were just more nimble than his. The memory of his blue eyes losing some of their icy cold and smiling at her with a silent sparkle in their depths greeted her as she peeked out of the door and at a short, dead-ended hallway at the end of which only one wooden door painted in lapis lazuli color waited for her. A fleeting glance across the walls confirmed the absence of any cameras or motion sensors, and soon Misao was sprinting towards the door, readying her equipment and cracking the lock in the course of just a few seconds. Behind it lay a stately hall, decorated with reliefs and frescoes of beautiful, exotic women presenting a much larger painted man wearing a pschent with gifts of fruit and precious miscellanies.

Misao took a moment to admire the craftsmanship that had gone into painting these walls before carefully making her way across it, using the few pillars forming a circle in the middle of the hall for cover. From her right, out of a corner of the room, she could hear low voices joking and placing bets for what she assumed to be a game of cards. Guards, she thought, skirting closer to the pillars to remain undetected. He heart skipped a beat when she heard the sound of rustling cloth and tapping feet, but she calmed down once she realized the movement's sole purpose had been to get more wine, as was evidenced by the spluttering of the red liquid in a goblet soon thereafter.

Grinning at Shishio's stupidity in choosing his personnel Misao threw the guards a wave of her hand before looking for a way down to earth level and a door: she needed to have the rest of the rescue team with her.

*~*

Barely escaping the vicious diagonal uppercut Soujirou performed with his sword Kenshin flipped over his opponent, turning in mid-flight to change defense into attack, just touching the floor with the tip of his toes before leaping at his opponent , blade supported by his left hand.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu Shou Sen!" Soujirou had but one chance to defend. Bending backwards at an almost impossible angle for a human he parried, falling to the floor with the force of the two swords connecting, but lashing out with his foot while spinning, aiming to catch his redheaded opponent in the knees. A lightning quick step backwards brought Kenshin out of the reach of Soujirou's attacks, and for a moment both men eyed each other, panting heavily, for the first time since the real beginning of their battle. The speed at which they were going defied years of scientific study and perhaps everything biologists ever said about the possibilities of the human body, but fact was they were using it, and even though it was wearing Kenshin down faster than he had ever thought possible he had no chance but to keep up with Soujirou's moves. The incessant smiling the brown-haired boy's face bore slowly wormed its way into his mind, slightly unsettling the agent even though he tried his best to hide it even from himself.

Soujirou grinned, calming his racing heartbeat, slowing the agonizingly fast breaths that threatened to rupture his lungs. Battousai was a much harder opponent than anticipated, six months of fighting with a sword that was incapable of killing hadn't diminished his legendary skills at all, contrary to what Master Shishio believed. Still, the younger man was sure he would be able to weigh the scales of this duel in his favor- he hadn't yet used his ultimate weapon. Tapping his foot against the floor to test its integrity and find out whether there were any bumps or indentations that could prove his undoing Soujirou brought his weapon before him, holding it in a position that didn't give away whether he would attack or defend, a stance resembling the classic first position when doing basic _kata_. His smile hiding his self from his opponent he readied himself for the strain he was about to put on his body. Then he exploded into motion.

"Shukuchi!" Kenshin gasped. The younger fighter was even faster than the last time- he had at least been able to discern a blur of blue then. Now, his eyes were useless as his ears frantically struggled to analyze the pounding of slippered feet on linoleum, directions changing too fast to be certain. Desperate to find a solution to his dilemma the agent closed his eyes, trying to get a picture of the boy's attack pattern using just his sense of _ki_ and his hearing. A bright blue spark, like the shine of the brightest star on the Northern sky, Sirius, was all the warning he got. Whirling around, he tried to defend, but the spreading numbness and stinging ache running from his right shoulder blade all the way across his back down to his left hip spoke of the less-than-successful attempt. He grimaced, hissing at the stinging pain that clenched his muscles in its iron-tight grip. Rather than dwell on unpleasant sensations he tried to give contra, spinning his blade in a close-combat maneuver aiming at his opponent's right shoulder. Soujirou's eyes, visible for the second Kenshin's blade caught him, widened at the sudden feeling of a sword tearing through the muscles on his upper arm. Bleeding and clutching his sword-arm, the boy fell back, allowing the agent to collect and prepare himself for the combination attack he had wanted to use on Soujirou for a long time already.

Angling his sword's path so it was aimed directly at Soujirou's chest the agent sped towards the boy, leaping towards the ceiling in mid-stride, taking in the narrowed eyes and gleaming smile before descending upon the boy like the wrath from heaven, performing his favorite attack, Ryu Tsui Sen, but not pulling through. Having anticipated Soujirou's sidestep he changed the angle into a nameless slashing attack, which was blocked by the brown-haired boy's flashing sword. Eyes narrowing in concentration, taking on a harder amber glint Kenshin let his blade rasp along the blunt edge of the blocking sword in his path, jabbing at the younger man's ribs with his _saya_.

From the beginning, the attack was doomed to failure. Soujirou had regained his bearings after Kenshin's surprise attack had caught him off guard. Smiling brightly, he brought his blade down on the leaden sheath, cleanly slicing it in half. Kenshin's hard, golden eyes widened in shock, taking on a hint of a cobalt hue before hardening into glistening frozen droplets of amber with an inclusion of the small, black ants that were his pupils. Smirking, Shishio's fighter threw his opponent back with a turning of his blade and a quick slash of his sheath.

"I think you should give up, Himura-san. You can't win!" It sounded as though he told Kenshin he couldn't go on the outing his mother had planned for that weekend. The redhead scowled, his frown deepening when Soujirou slid into a stance that resembled a right-handed _Gatotsu_.

So he's been working with Saito- I thought so… some of his attack patterns were quite similar to those of… he didn't even have time to think as the brown-haired fighter once again vanished from sight. Sighing to himself, the agent closed his eyes as a reaction. This time, he was already more attuned to the strange, repressed emotions the boy carried around with him. Guessing rather than feeling the half stabbing, half slashing blow directed at his unprotected left side he turned on his right foot, using the momentum of his pirouette to throw his attacker off balance and catch him with the same strike Soujirou had intended to use on him.

"Whee! Go Kenshin!" For the first time since their fight had started Sano dared to speak, cheering his friend on. Kenshin was looking more and more spent, as was his opponent. Fingering the ends of his bandanna Sano wondered whether they truly had the strength to continue their duel. Even though the fight hadn't even lasted a quarter of an hour yet the constant use of speed beyond what was humanly possible and strength that was above what most people could ever think of reaching had depleted both fighters' reserves. Their harsh panting, heaving chests and bleeding wounds attested to that. "Don't give up!"

Temporary respite- Kenshin wouldn't have believed it if anyone had ever told him he would be so grateful to have it in the middle of a fight. He still remembered the time when he was a shadow assassin, using darkness for cover, striking quickly like a cobra from where it lay coiled up on the ground, slaying those who dared commit crimes against humanity- or those who simply stood in the way of the Agency. He had never questioned his orders… until he had met Tomoe…

*~*

Darkness... darkness was all he knew, and it shrouded anything still willing to reach him. He was incapable of emotions; those his heart had once held were killed off one by one with the men that died by his sword, a sword he longed to plunge into the ground and never to use again. While his comrades had fought on the open battlefields of diplomacy, or even in honest, open battle where men looked each other into the eye and everyone stood the same chance of survival his territory had been the dark, twisted alleyways of nighttime cities. He was a legend amongst his own people, a shadow never openly mentioned but reverently whispered of when no one was supposed to be listening. He always _was_ listening, though- to the rumors, the accusations, the fear, the pride, and the wind. They told him what he needed to know in order to survive- and his survival ensured the dawn of a new world, just about to be emerging into the light. A light that would never reach him…

Amber eyes pierced the darkness. The sun had just set, and yet it was already time for Himura Battousai to set out and start his job, a job he was uniquely qualified for. His sharp sword dealt death swifter than the night breeze stirring a few dead leaves and leftover papers from the market, stealthier than the cat chasing after its prey at the man's feet and more secretive than the whispering leaves of the tall tree standing in the middle of his small place the alley he was currently hiding in led to. His target: a Regime diplomat of high rank, member of the military advisory council of the Pharaoh and ardent opposer of the Agency's ideals. He was even said to be involved in the infamous Camps, having allegedly been a leader of such an institution prior to his call to the Pharaoh's inner circle. Battousai was to strike him down, strike fear into the hearts of his fellow council members and eliminate future resistance.

Of course these were only the decorative words used to describe the most primal of all actions: killing the opposing party in order to become strongest. Battousai allowed a wry smile to touch his stony features. He remembered a time when killing had been the thing farthest from his mind, when all that counted were the simple yet complex strokes of his sword going through his routine _kata_ in the fresh mountain air of his Master's home. This time was long since gone, evaporated like the stains of blood his killings had fleetingly imprinted upon the paved streets. He was not much older now than he was then- barely a man, barely grown, but his mind had evolved into that of a predatory creature, sly and wise beyond his years. Battousai knew all that, in the depths of a hardened conscious the young boy still existed, but as he prepared to strike he had banned those thoughts of right or wrong from his mind, and was solely the instinct-driven killer whose reputation was enough to make any man tremble.

A fluid movement in the shadows to his right alerted his senses, but the presence was only that of the cat Battousai had noticed earlier, having obviously lost its prey the animal slinked languidly past the other predator lurking about, rubbing against his legs in the process and bounding off after seeing some paper being carried across the street on one of the random gusts of wind that characterized the night. Battousai was relieved- being discovered just because some little animal made his presence known wasn't what he'd planned.

Anxiety he didn't know was there gone he once again settled into his silent watch. The diplomat was late- obviously the clandestine meeting of the Regime supporters took longer than expected. Battousai resolved himself to a long night…

It was only a little clinking sound, nothing extraordinary in a city such as the one that was his hunting grounds that night, but it was the sign Battousai had been waiting for. Amber eyes narrowed, grew even sharper, and a muscular, fine-boned hand settled on the hilt of the deadly _katana_ the assassin carried. Voices swelled up through the crisp air, and Battousai's muscles tensed. The voices came nearer, his sharp hearing placed them just around the corner shielding him from view. With a soft click the sword's hilt was loosened from its place in the sheath, and the seconds seemed to slow to a snail's pace, stretching into eternity as Battousai stood ready and alert, waiting for his target to come closer.

First to walk into the narrow alley were the bodyguards. Although their dark eyes glittered in the light of their torches Battousai's presence was too well hidden to be noticed. He let them pass, unwilling to kill more than absolutely necessary. His target was next. Uncoiling his tensed muscles the Agency's master assassin casually strolled into the middle of the road, standing proudly in the moonlit oval connecting his alley to the place in front of him. The inch or so that was showing from his _katana_'s blade glinted in the pale white moonlight, rivaled only by the assassin's piercing glare in its brilliance.

"I have come to kill you," Battousai announced, his voice as flat and as deadly as the steel blade he wielded. His target's face was covered in sweat in a matter of seconds, and the assassin took a second to wonder what it was that made a body do that- sweat glands truly were a wondrous proof of Nature's inventiveness.

"What makes you think you can?" the man stuttered. The assassin's eyes narrowed in a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

"What makes _you_ think I can't?" The icy expression did not leave Battousai's features, yet his voice carried the hint of a smirk underneath the smooth steeliness. Battousai's target looked frantically around, and instinctively the assassin knew he was searching for a way to escape him.

"And now… I will bring justice to those who thought they stood above the law," he stated, not wanting to delay the inevitable for himself or his prey any further. His blade flashed out of its sheath, a blue arc written into the air when he swung.

The sickening sound of the meeting between steel and flesh permeated the calm silence, and in spite of himself Battousai flinched. His eyes flashed a soft violet for a second before he gripped a hold of himself and calmly, almost like an afterthought, flicked his target's blood off his _katana_. With precise efficiency he resheathed his sword and left the site that would become known in the morning as the site of an Agency assassination. The bodyguards would notice something was awry in a mere second, the whole encounter having taken place in a little over 20 seconds, so he didn't waste any more time.

His first jump carried him onto the roof of a small toolshed, from there he made his way across the rooftops, leaving nothing but a dead man, a shadow of a presence, and a perfect half moon of glistening droplets of blood behind where he had cleansed his blade from the sticky red liquid…

The cries of murder accompanied him to the motel in which the Agency forces resided for the time of their mission to that town.

Another day, another death… the assassin's hands moved fiercely around in the ice-cold water he had drawn fresh from the well. Not much blood there this time… but to Battousai's eyes his hands were never clean, never lost the pungent smell characterizing death. His palms red and raw, he stopped his futile attempts at washing off the sin of his deeds, emptied the sink of its pink, soapy contents, thoroughly cleaning every trace of his washing from the white ceramic bowl, not caring that his clothes as well became dripping wet in the act. At least no blood stained his pants- the target had truly been an easy one, almost unworthy of the time of the great Battousai.

"How much longer?" he asked himself, staring up at the moonlit sky from his place in the courtyard, having left the stifling confinement of his room, abandoning the shelter of the motel's roof in favor of the starlit firmament, "how much longer?" Luna chose not to answer the young man's question. Serene and silent the silver circle observed the world beneath it, unperturbed by the conflicts of Earth's inhabitants.

Lost in his musings the young man quickly crossed the small enclosed space of the motel's courtyard, his feet shuffling softly as there was no need for silent treading once he had finished his job for the night and had reached the secure haven of the Agency hideout and base of operations. His eyes downcast, hidden from view by the curtain of his bangs, took on a soft glint, almost, but not quite, losing their piercing amber color. He reached out to push back the milky glass swinging door that lead to the staircase to the first floor, but hesitated a moment when he felt a small gust of wind ruffle his blood-red hair and stir up a few leaves from the ground. A sigh escaped his lips, unheard in the darkness of the night. "How much longer?"

His dreams were fitful, full of blood, pain and killing. His instincts were sharpened to such a degree that he couldn't even sleep lying down on a bed anymore. Instead, the assassin sat by an open window, swords propped up against his shoulder, body tensed so he could explode into motion any second he could feel someone near. Battousai was always on guard, even when asleep…

A lone ray of moonlight played across his still features that showed nothing of the inner turmoil his nightmares caused. Schooling his features into unmoving masks had been among the first things Battousai had taught himself after joining the Agency as their shadow assassin. Nobody should be able to see he was hurt by the whispered words accusing him to be a monster, nobody would be able to second-guess his actions, and his motives for killing would remain as much a mystery as his real name.

He tried in vain to grasp the elusive threads of sleep weaving through the brisk cool of the night air in an ever-changing pattern as difficult to see as the fastest moves of his killing art. Sighing and giving up on the thought of rest for the night the young man peered down onto the parking lot his room- as had been his demand- faced. It was always good to have a second opportunity to stage an escape should someone dare to attack the motel. In the silver shadows a lone figure moved, dropping the keys to a car- at least he assumed it were the keys to a car since they caught the light of the lamp next to the parking lot's entrance in a flash of yellow- into a readied handbag. Eerie arms brushed through long hair hanging freely down a slender back. A shapely figure walked towards the back entrance of the motel, and quiet as a cat Battousai made his way down the staircase that led from his room to the wooden door the figure would soon arrive at.

She never completed the motion of knocking. Before she even raised her hand, already balled into a fist, the door swung open. On the doorstep stood a small figure she mistook for a child. "Why thank you, but shouldn't you be in bed right now?"

Even though she herself was only eighteen years of age this boy looked even younger. His blood-red hair caught her attention, but only when he stared her down with eyes of the oddest color she had ever seen did she realize her mistake. "Come in," was all he said before turning his back on her and walking back to the solitary confinement of his room, holding himself stiffly upright as his steps were accompanied by a soft, sweet smell he couldn't quite place but recognized nonetheless- the scent of white plums… the very first time he had met Tomoe… like a ghost in the night, relief of his punishment…

*~* 

Soujirou was puzzled. The look of utter loneliness and longing on the sharp angles of his opponent's face simply didn't fit into a duel to the death. And the way he was shaking and muttering a name unnerved him to no end. "Himura-san, are you that weak?" he asked himself, shaking his head, his smile taking on a more contemplative and dark nature, "then I must kill you now!" 

Kenshin shook off the spell he had fallen under. The fight against Soujirou reminded him too much of hat he had tried to leave behind, the pain he had buried deep underneath a layer of cheerfulness in his heart. "I believe we are quite evenly matched, Soujirou, that I do." He resembled the dark predator more than ever with that haunted look on his face but he paid his conscious no heed as he exploded into action faster than ever before, matching Soujirou's speed as impossible as it seemed. His injuries screamed in painful protest, yet he entered into another blurring, mind-numbingly fast round of close combat. He was determined to win, if only to finally face the Pharaoh himself and find answers to the questions ripping him apart since Paris. 

I will find out what drove you, Tomoe, I promise. You told me some of it- but I will find out the rest, and then I might finally be able to leave it all behind and… Mechanically, he used the opening presented to him when Soujirou tripped on a minute bump in the linoleum covering the floor of the circular hallway they were fighting in. Slashing downwards with his _katana_ he opened a long gash on the younger man's right leg, running from his thigh down to his knee. With a strangled cry Soujirou crashed to the floor, panting heavily and clutching at the deep wound with his left hand, his right still curled around the hilt of his sword. 

"You… should finish him off." Unemotional as the voice sounded Kenshin was able to discern the slight disapproval in its icy undertones. 

"Ah, you got up!" Sano grinned, "took you long enough. Kenshin got ya good, didn't he?" Aoshi didn't answer. Using the wall for support he made his way towards the tall fighter. Before he could reach him, however, he collapsed into a kneeling position again, having spent his strength. 

"Finish… him off!" He sounded urgent, as though he knew something the other two didn't. Pulling himself to his feet again the narrowed blue eyes took in the small, weakened form of the man who had defeated him. It had taken him a while to get to his feet, mainly because his head had been swimming with too many unwanted thoughts he would have to sort through some time, but now that he was able to move and speak again he would do his best to keep his promise. No matter how great the turmoil in his mind was, no matter how many thoughts of his lost honor, dead comrades and a small girl with sparkling turquoise eyes and dangerous throwing knives in her hands flashed before his eyes, he would do his best to aid Battousai in his escape from Shishio's mansion. After all, the agent had broken the prison he had built around his own mind… or so he had come to think. There were still too many unresolved queries in his mind to be certain, but he had a feeling the agent had changed his destiny, had shaped a new Shinomori Aoshi who didn't quite know who and what he was, but who was completely different from the Pharaoh's plaything the old one had been. 

"You should really finish him off, Battousai." This voice, though laced with burning hatred, almost held a chuckle of amusement. "After all, he gave you quite an impressive makeover- and a good workout." 

"Saito!" Sano spat, brown eyes gleaming with an unholy light, "what are you doing here?" 

Four strands of hair hanging over his eyes, his white gloves closed around a sheathed weapon the wolfish man made his way along the circular hallway of the underground prison. "I am here to give this to Battousai," he threw the sword at Kenshin who, bare chest heaving with exertion and shining with sweat, barely caught it with slippery fingers, "and to teach the idiot here not to be so idiotic." 

"If you want a fight say so," Sano growled, the insult feeding the flame of his anger and hatred towards the man who had cost them their clean escape to freedom, who had proven to be an obstacle not once, but twice. 

"Shouldn't you be watching your opponent, Battousai?" Saito chided instead of answering to Sano's challenge, "look, he's getting up!" 

Indeed, Soujirou was slowly climbing to his feet, wincing through his smile as he tried to put some of his weight onto his injured leg. "Why didn't you kill me?" the boy asked, bewildered, his wide, sky-blue eyes showing his true age, "I was the weak one during this fight, and I have to die!" 

"Why should you have to die because you lost in a fight? Everyone loses now and then, that they do, but if you die if you lodes you could never learn from your mistakes, that you couldn't, and the world would be full of people repeating the mistakes of people past, that it would." The agent was as bewildered as the young boy struggling to remain standing. 

"Learn… from mistakes? But Master Shishio always said mistakes make you weak, and if you make a mistake you are to die because you are weak." 

"Then the person after you will die for making the same mistake? But if you analyze where your mistake lay, and what you have done wrong you can avoid it, that you can, and you can become stronger because of it and teach this strength to others as well." 

"Strength is what a person is born with, it can't be learned! Only if you are strong you live!" The boy grew almost frantic in his struggle to preserve his philosophy, "to protect those weaker than you, to let them live is wrong! It will make the world weak!" 

"But you are strong, and you will be even stronger. Even those who are weak can be strong, that they can, and the weak may be needed one day to help the strong, that they may. What is weak and what is strong might change, that it might, and what if you are suddenly on the side of the weak?" Kenshin felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he looked at the poor boy struggling to understand. Finally, Soujirou collapsed in a heap on the floor and buried his face in his hands. 

"You are confusing, Himura-san. I don't know what to think anymore!" He stared up at the red-haired man with a pleading look in his bright, large eyes. 

"Then you should think about it all, that you should," Kenshin advised, sighing softly to himself as he remembered his own struggles breaking into his rigid control over his thoughts. There wasn't that much of a difference between him and the sixteen-year-old lying on the floor before him, bleeding from wounds he had inflicted upon the boy, "then you should think about it." 

"You are much too soft," Saito frowned, drawing a cigarette from the breast pocket of his pristine uniform, "I guess I should take care of him… he might become a liability." 

Before he could take a step towards Soujirou, who was looking as terrified as his smile could ever look, Sano exploded into motion. "Ya have to get through me to get to him!" 

If anything Saito looked pleased with that development. "Ah, the idiot has a noble streak himself. Very well, you will get your wish!" Sliding down into a deep stance he fluidly drew the longer-than-average _katana_ from its sheath, angling it along his right arm and inviting Sano with a wave of his right hand touching the blade a few inches from the tip. "Come!"

… to be continued … 

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_Yikes! Another chapter full of fighting! And I got a little girl-power in there, did you see? _

_Yasai: *has freed herself*I loved writing this part! It was my grand idea… _

_Keep deceiving yourself muse, just keep deceiving yourself! _

_Yasai: Be quiet! Girl who steps on her partner's feet when dancing… _

_It's not **my** fault my leg doesn't always want to carry me yet! _

_Yasai: And Ry had the pleasure of glaring your partner into the ground since you were lying in his arms after smashing his toes… _

_Oi! My twin's just a **tad** bit overprotective… and he didn't like the poor guy from the start. I thought he was nice… and he had a really sweet smile! And, and that's the best part, he's only three years older than me, but I can talk to him nonetheless! He's intelligent! He's a guest in my dancing course, has already completed the gold dance course and can dance reaaally well! _

_Yasai: And you smash his toes and fall all over him, and Ry doesn't like him even though you have a crush on him, Chi. _

_I don't have a crush, muse! *blushes beet-red* _

_Yasai: *sniggers* Before I embarrass Chi further and since there's no interesting info to be given this time I guess she would like to do the review responses, right, Chi? _

_Yup! *slightly relieved wiping of sleeve across forehead* Here they are! _

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**Reviewer's corner **

**Queen of Shadows**_: *lol* some of your wishes have been addressed- right? I really like Aoshi- if only he wouldn't be so stubborn about me writing him the right way *glares at Aoshi sticker on the frame of her screen* *picture glares back*! And don't worry- the girls are coming to the rescue! YAY! _

**CurlsOfSerenity**_: *grins* I love to be evil… even though I try keeping it in check most of the time because my twin brother insists he is the evil one of the two of us, so I have to play nice… sometimes ^_^ You played the piano, too? Cool! Then I can continue torturing all of you with my mindless A/N! Thank you for reviewing- I'm still trying to catch up with your stories, but I'm on my way (I have them saved to disk 'cause I can't be online very much… it's hard to have two brothers and a father who are internet-obsessed and only two lines…)! Look out for me coming!!! _

**Asuka-chan**_: *feels very honored* More fights here… and major Sano action coming up- as well as girl-power united *grins* - I feel like having fun… thanks a lot for staying with me and making my day with your reviews! _

**Ixchen**_: Whee! Hope you're not too disappointed with me being late! Cya!!! _

**lebleuphenix**_: More Aoshi… some Saito… more Soujirou (even though I thought the conversation between him and Kenshin was… odd, to say the least *shrugs*)… and I can't wait to write the next chapter! Thank you for being such a wonderful reviewer and always urging me on! You're the best! _

**Natsuko**_: I'm sooo happy you liked the last chapter- I thought it was rather odd (though this one beats it in the odd department)… thank you ever so much for always supporting me! I love uploading chapters! *does happy little dance without falling* Dancing is cool- and there are really nice people in my course *defends dancing partner from raging twin*! How is your costume? *grins* My family thinks I'm weird for wishing there was a Halloween here… _

**Brenna**_: Hope you're better! Head colds are awful… I know. Yup, I'm running around like a stung bee again… and nope, I haven't been stupid- yet ^.^! Get well! _

**Darkening**_: You're very welcome! By the way- where's that original short story you promised to send to me? Huh? Huh? You better do so fast, or I'll sic Ry on you! Cya!!! _

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**all readers**_: Thank you for your patience! Hope you liked it and leave my little muse and me a **review** to gloat about ^_^_

_Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan (and Yasai)_


	17. Chapter 16 Reunion

_Ciao!!! _

_Well, are you up for the next chapter of SL? I sure hope so- after all, I spent all of Sunday night furiously typing this (Okay, Sunday night after midnight…). Why? Well, this has to have been the most hectic week I've had this year so far… I couldn't even take five minutes a day off for writing, even though my brain was exploding with ideas! Thus, the nightly typing… GAH! I tell you, my life is so evil when it comes to time management. I still have to learn to cope with less and less sleep (on average, three hours a night this week), more and more special assignments, the fact that I'm **teaching**- yes, that's right- my English teacher (I have English as a foreign language in Germany- strange feeling, I can tell you, since it's German that is the foreign language to me) has made me her assistant, and I have to prepare two lessons a week. She thinks it will keep me from doing anything but listen when in her course… she doesn't know me! HAH! Infamous Chi's-not-listening Attack! _

_Uh… excuse my rambling, it's the lack of sleep getting to me (it's Monday morning…). Anyways, this chapter is a bit shorter than the last- though not by much! I almost didn't get it out at all! But here you are- enjoy reading! _

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_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

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Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

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**Chapter 16 **

**Reunion **

****

Misao would have slapped herself on the shoulder, compliments for a job well done, but her hands were rather… _occupied_ at the moment, clutching the rungs of a rusty ladder, meant to be used by maintenance teams checking the air vents of Shishio's architectural monstrosity. However, if any maintenance men had set foot in that particular shaft within the last ten years Misao would swallow her _kunai_ whole. She was constantly readjusting her grip on thin iron- or steel- beams that were slippery with oily residue of things she'd rather not think about, holding back sneezes that wanted to escape through a nose irritated by all the dustbunnies rising from wherever she treaded, and her eyes itched and burned because of the assault of small particles, rust and others, her every movement sent showering into them.

Why did I think again it was a good idea to use _this_ way to get down? And _why_ did I think it would not be necessary to put on a face mask? Frustrated and irritated, she made her way down the ladder, accompanied by the shower of nasty-smelling particles sticking to her hair, face and clothes. A job well done, indeed. There couldn't be another ninja as… well, as stupid as she was, could there? She squinted through the semi-darkness, apparently Shishio didn't believe in lighting every square centimeter of his building… wasn't there a grill? And didn't grills usually lead out of airvents? Her heart jumping for joy she climbed faster, almost slipping once or twice when her hands encountered something particularly nasty.

A quick jab with both her feet while her hands supported her weight on the ladder- and the grill cluttered into the pile of dirty laundry conveniently placed underneath it. Great- now she had found Shishio's Laundromat. At least there was nobody in the room- and Misao could snatch one of the dark blue overalls from the washing, complete with service number and cap to make her features unrecognizable. It would be so much easier if everyone mistook her for one of the mansion's staff… The ninja girl slipped into her new camouflage suit- she wouldn't want to call it maintenance woman outfit, although that was probably closer to the truth- and checked the room for any exits leading outside. However, she had no such luck- the only door led into the building.

Time to get going, Misao, this room's too stuffed to see everything, and there might be cameras. Believe me, you don't want to be caught on tape, photogene as you might be… Scowling at her own thoughts she left, but not before flashing any watching eyes a brilliant smile. Should her face appear on a TV somewhere, she wanted to look _good_!

Pipes and cables lined the walls of the hallway outside the laundry room- just as she had expected. Shishio hasn't ever heard of safety on the job, I think! Her steps were light, fast and unobtrusive. Well, as fast as she dared to go- and yet almost too fast. Only a hair's width separated her from missing the elevator doors hidden behind a large, yellow-colored pipe. Hey! I can get down with this! No more dirty ladders! Shuddering in remembrance of her last escapade she waited for the elevator doors to open, praying to all the Gods of the universe they weren't protected by a password. Her luck held out- screeching and groaning in protest they slid open, revealing a small freight elevator that soon after took her downwards- towards the ground level, as she hoped.

*~*

"Why don't _you_ come?" Sano asked brashly, casually stepping forward, measuring his stride to his anger, exposing his body to the middle of the hallway that had been the scene of the fight between Kenshin and Soujirou mere seconds before. Opposite of him, Saito smirked- as much as one could smirk with a single twitch of the upper lip.

"You are even more of an idiot than I had remembered." The Regime man's stance deepened, the glint from the needle-sharp tip of his _katana_ twinkling along the walls and ground until it reached Sano's eyes, causing him to blink and squint against the sudden brightness. Face drawn into a scowl, Sano growled, falling into a basic fist-fighting stance himself, hiding his face behind his fists.

"If you're so confident, then why d'ya need a sword to fight me? You're just a coward- just like the rest of you Regimers… pick on those weaker than you, but never without backup, right? That's why you can't let go of your toothpick and fight me one on one!" His taunts might have sounded weak were it not for his flashing eyes that lent his words an inner strength and conviction that would make any man want to break it- and even Saito was no exception. As controlled as the Wolf might be, a target like that idiot was too tempting. For once, he was glad that his support of the Agency was not common knowledge.

"Moron, so sure of yourself, are you?" Chuckling so that it was only audible to himself, Saito carefully slid his sword back into its sheath, setting it out of reach against the wall. "Someone has to teach you not to open your mouth that far…" Without further ado, the Regime officer attacked. Sano's surprised "Whoa!" disappeared behind a curtain of whirlwind attacks of the left-handed fighter. He didn't have any chance to speak afterwards- Saito's primary talent might lie in armed fighting, but he also was no novice to fistfights, as was shown by the multitude of punches connecting with his opponent's face and torso.

"Idiot!" he spat, taking a step backwards to observe his handiwork. Sano was breathing hard, one eye slowly swelling shut, the opposite cheek somewhat blown up and discolored. Slightly swaying on his feet Sano steadied himself against the wall before rising to full height again. Saito's eyes narrowed slightly, whether in surprise or because he was annoyed Sano didn't know- and frankly didn't care, either. He had enough problems to keep his breathing steady, and the nasty taste of fresh blood from a cut on the inside of his swollen cheek out of his mouth.

"That all you got?" This time, he literally spat the words, accompanied by the blood that had collected on his tongue and whose bitter taste the young fighter couldn't stand anymore. "Guess I'll have to show you a real fight!" With that, he pressed the attack, returning every single punch the Regime officer had rained down on him, just aiming to wipe that sneer from the other's eyes and lips. Frustration set in as every strong punch from his right hand was blocked by a lightning quick defensive move, every kick that should have taken the older man out was met by a counter Sano couldn't break.

"You don't know a thing about defense or tactics," Saito stated, his bored face indicating he wasn't even trying, a fact that angered and annoyed Sano even more than that he had yet to land a good hit on the yellow-eyed man.

"I'll show you tactics!" Yelling as loud as he could he charged, noticing from the corner of his eye the astonished look on Kenshin's face as the agent helped Shinomori get to his feet. His right fist drawn back he aimed for Saito's chin, the most vulnerable part of his face. He just barely registered the widening of the yellow eyes before his fist connected, a satisfying crunch taking away some of the frustration that had built up during the fight. Involuntarily, a yelp escaped his lips when he drew his fist back, pain lancing up his arm and through his spine until it exploded in bright colors before his eyes.

"Shit!" The curse flew from his mouth without thought as he cradled the strangely twisted fingers of his right hand in his left, still glaring at Saito who, as was expected, was now the one who had difficulty standing, if only for a moment.

"Idiot. You broke the bones in your hand just to hit me? I told you, you should think about tactics and defense!" Biting back the pain Sano stared the other man down defiantly. Was that a flicker of recognition and approving he saw in the yellow eyes? Or was it disappointment? Cursing softly under his breath, Sano released his right hand from the tight grip he had held it in, automatically biting his tongue as the pain freshened. It's still been weak… Megumi warned me… but I won't let him have the kid, no way!

"I can still beat you!" he growled, his voice rawer than he had meant for it to be, but sufficiently convincing in its threat- or so he thought. All his challenge earned him was a sarcastic chuckle before Saito tuned his back to him.

"Another day maybe, idiot. I don't fight invalids" The words bit into Sano's pride, taking a good chunk out of it and chewing on it before spitting it out in front of the ex-Sekihoutai's feet. Never, not once in his life had Sano felt this humiliated. Even when they had beaten him into submission in the Camp he had kept his pride and dignity. He had been respected. 

Seeing red, he charged at the turned back just as Saito bent to retrieve his weapon. Too late did he realize his mistake- by then, the silver streak of light had already flashed out of its protective case and lodged deep within his right shoulder. Weakness turned his knees into jelly as he crashed to the floor, cursing the man in front of him in as many languages and words as he could think of.

"Creative," was Saito's only comment while returning the _katana_ to its sheath after having cleaned it with a flick of his left wrist. Sano just glared at him, efficiently shut up by the indifference in the yellow eyes. "At least you managed to detain me long enough for the boy to get away- be happy about that."

And indeed- Soujirou was nowhere to be seen. Only Kenshin and Aoshi were still standing a few feet off, Kenshin's eyes promising a painful death to those who dared cross him, Aoshi's glare still colder than ice. Nodding at the agent's unspoken question Aoshi used the wall for support, leaving the agent free to confront Saito. Steps as slow as he could manage he made his way over to where Sano was kneeling, helping his fallen friend to get up, first on one knee, then, stumbling only slightly, to his feet.

"Saito!" The Regime officer acknowledged him with a glance from narrow eyes. "I didn't think you were cowardly enough to attack like this. I thought you had more honor than that!" Sano had never before heard Kenshin's voice like this, as dangerous as liquid ice and the flash of lightning across the sky. His right hand was clutching the hilt of the sword Saito had thrown him so tightly that all the blood had flowed from it, leaving it a ghastly white image of itself.

"Quit complaining, Battousai! The idiot brought it upon himself- or did you forget he was the first to attack my back?" So calm… Sano wanted nothing but to wipe that self-satisfied look from Saito's face.

"Still- he was unarmed, Saito. There is no honor in striking down an unarmed man!" By now, Kenshin's left hand was curled into a fist at his side, and he was nearly shouting. Shaking slightly, Sano uprighted himself, finally able to stand on his own two feet without leaning on Kenshin for support. His face was glowing with anger, his eyes two deep, burning holes giving away the rage in his heart.

"You are just a coward," he said, his voice as shaky and scratchy as his body was weak, his left hand clutching his shoulder turning redder with every passing second, "but then it's just as well- I know what to expect next time, and I won't be so stupid ever again. When we meet again, Saito, you are going down." And as unlikely as that promise might sound that moment, somehow Saito felt the young man meant his words.

"Don't get too excited- if you can leave here and still be alive I might fight you again, but then, maybe not. Goodbye, I have someone to find." A match was struck, and moments later the smoke from a cigarette rose to meet the ceiling as Saito's footsteps slowly vanished into the distance, his voice echoing in the circular hallway that made up Shishio's prison. Suddenly, it seemed much too narrow and stifling, and Sano almost bolted for the nearest exit when his wound had been wrapped into an improvised bandage made from Aoshi's torn shirt. Slipping on his own, beige shirt without so much as a wince Sano waited anxiously for Kenshin to decide their next move. The agent seemed to be quite out of it since his fight against Soujirou, his expression even more guarded than regularly, his eyes shadowed with emotions the young man couldn't quite place.

"Let's go- we should find Shishio, that we should." His words carried no hint of any confusing feelings- maybe Sano imagined things. But then why was Kenshin's stride so… held back? And why hadn't he challenged Saito, or followed him? The Regime officer could very well bring the whole army of the Pharaoh against them!

"Kenshin, why did you let Saito escape?" He couldn't quite suppress his curiosity. The agent's lips twitched slightly, as though he tried to smile.

"Saito will not be a problem anymore, that he won't. His pride has been damaged by attacking you out of reflex, and he knows that, that he does. He will leave us to our own devices, that he will. Shishio is the one we should worry about, that he is." Sano could only shake his head. The agent's reasoning didn't sound quite right to his ears, but then Kenshin had known that wolfish man longer than any of them, longer than even Shinomori… a sideward glance revealed the silent presence of the tall, black-haired man accompanying them. Another strange mystery… what kind of promise had he given? Something about Misao, the little girl from the farm, and something about revenge for dead comrades… it was all very, very confusing, and Sano made a mental notice to squeeze the whole story out of the agent once they were safe. At the moment, however, he had to concentrate on walking- his shoulder was throbbing, and he somehow had the feeling his head was getting lighter and lighter. Soon, his thoughts evaporated into thin air, and he caught himself staring at the ceiling above him and wondering why the hell the sky wasn't blue anymore- and how had his arm ended up around Kenshin's shoulders again? Their forward movement stopped, and Sano made sure that, albeit shakily, he stood on his own feet again as Kenshin analyzed the situation.

"We seem to have found an exit, that we do." A large steel door was barring their way. Somewhat indecisive, Kenshin eyed it until Aoshi stepped forward.

"Let me handle this, Battousai." He had just started to put in a sequence on a keypad next to the doors when they creaked, slowly opening. Shell-shocked, the three men could do nothing but stare, hoping against hope that they might escape from the inevitable…

*~*

"What do you say?" Misao grinned brightly, pulling on the collar of the uniform she had taken from a security guard who was currently lying unconscious in a closet next to the door she had just opened for her companions. She had ridden the freight elevator down to the ground floor, and once she had arrived there it had been rather simple to find an exit- really, why did the Pharaoh make it that easy for infiltrators? Bright green arrows showing the way, now, she had really expected more of a challenge. And only two guards at the door… three well-aimed _kunai_ had taken care of the two men who had been too wrapped up in their game of _Go_ to even notice the young ninja girl. She had hidden them in the closet, but not before taking their uniforms, discarding her blue overall in favor of the gray pants and jacket reading 'Security'. Then she had opened the door, making sure it would remain open, and had gone out to find her friends and lead them inside. She hadn't counted on giving them that much of a shock…

Shaking off the freezing spell that had befallen him at the sight of the security jacket Yahiko couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his features. "Look, _Busu_, it's the weasel!"

Kaoru glared at him in unison with Misao, however, their fight was cut short as Tsunan and Katsu nodded at each other and started towards the direction Misao had come from, Megumi tailing them closely.

"Oi! Wait!" Kaoru and Misao had luckily clamped their hands over Yahiko's mouth, thus muffling his cry. "Sorry," he whispered once they had taken their hands off, hurrying to keep up with the running adults.

Aoshi-sama, I'm coming! And I'm bringing reinforcements, Misao thought proudly as the entered Shishio's mansion. "Where do you think they are?" she asked out loud.

"I guess they have been put into prison, and as far as I know prisons are most likely in the underground," Katsu answered quickly, eyes warily scanning their surroundings for cameras or persons that could discover them.

"The I know just what to do!" Grinning triumphantly, Misao bounded ahead of them, into a rather large room whose walls were striped in emerald green on the white walls, and towards a rather impressive-looking elevator whose silver doors were marked with the symbol of an eye glowing red. Quickly sliding the card the security guard whose uniform she wore had carried clipped to his breast pocket she punched in a rapid succession of four numbers that were written on the card in rather sloppy handwriting. A chime sounded, and the elevator doors opened for her and her companions. However, Katsu held up a hand, holding them all back.

"I think we should separate. Divide and conquer, right? Well, I think it would be best if Yahiko, Tsunan and I search the upper level, you three girls go down. Alright?" Nods from all members of the rescue team, even though she didn't like the idea of separation Megumi thought it was the most logical choice to make. Yahiko bristled with pride that the two men had chosen him to accompany them, and almost couldn't wait for them to get going.

"Back here in a half an hour?" Tsunan asked, his slim eyebrows arching up questioningly.

"A half an hour, confirmed," Megumi stated, returning his look with a steady gaze. Misao just nodded, pulling Kaoru into the elevator with her. "See you later, guys!" she quipped as the doors closed behind her with a solid _clank_.

"Down we go!" She pressed the button. Endless seconds passed by, all three of the women hanging onto their own thoughts as the rush of air signaled their descent into the bowels of Shishio's fortress. Kaoru smiled, as dangerous as their situation was at the moment she couldn't shake the feeling that, very soon, everything would change for the better. Next to her, Misao was tapping her fingers against her chin, the light in her eyes making it very clear what the subject of her thoughts was at the moment. Megumi was calmer, more collected, but even her guarded eyes showed signs of hope, a hope that was connected to a certain person she vehemently denied being attracted to. Finally, the chime that announced their arrival rang, surprisingly melodious in the ears of the girls who had expected a sound atrocious enough to match the Pharaoh's taste in architecture. The heavy, steel doors took their sweet time but finally they slid open, revealing whitewashed, curving walls, interspersed with doors painted a mottled olive green- and three rather rugged figures standing tense and ready to attack in front of them.

It took the girls a moment to recognize them- too surprising was their sudden appearance, too great the changes from when they had seen them the last time. Unsurprisingly, it was Misao who was the first to break the strained silence.

"Aoshi-sama!" The cry shattered the tension, breaking it into glittering splitters of happiness. "Aoshi-sama!" Tears fell from turquoise eyes, tinkling like diamonds on the rosy cheeks under the security cap, that was discarded as she flung her body forward, towards the pale, slightly worse-for-wear man who was still too stunned to react.

"Misao?" Even though his expression seemed unchanged, a slight widening of the eyes and twitch of the eyebrows the only movement breaking his frozen features the questioning tone in his voice showed his surprise more clearly than anything else. Reflexively, his arms opened wide, welcoming the small, light form of the girl, cradling her to his bare chest, her heart fluttering under hands that tightened around her back.

"Aoshi-sama, I thought you didn't want to see me ever again!" she cried, torn between happiness and fear of rejection, even as she relished the feeling of his strong arms around her, such a fitting frame for her, so… comfortable, so right. Little did she know that he almost let her go that instant, the urge to protect his untouchableness so strong he could taste it on his tongue, a harsh, bitter taste, like foul-smelling mud. It was only the thread-thin remembrance of his promise to Himura, his promise to return to the one person that had survived the tragedy that had cost him his sanity that made him keep the shaking form of the youngest Oniwabanshu member in his arms. That, and the stirrings of a past he had thought he had overcome.

"That was… not true." The words were whispered so lightly she almost didn't catch them, surely nobody else could, but when she heard them the tears fell with renewed vigor. His hold on her tightened, so much it was almost painful, but for the first time in six months Aoshi felt at peace, felt as though he had found the place he had belonged, and for a second time stood still. Even the conflicting thoughts that tormented his mind were frozen in eternity as her tears trickled onto the warm skin over his heart.

"Foxy?" Sano blinked twice, trying to disperse the fata morgana dancing before his eyes with smiling chestnut eyes and scowling, red lips. Where did she find red lipstick in the middle of nowhere? he mused as the apparition took one step towards him, hands outstretched, wanting to welcome him- or maybe not. Since when did dreams hurt? Her slap had certainly stung, a lot so even!

"What did you think, running into a trap just like that?" her sharp voice asked. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind that started obscuring everything and anything he saw and thought.

"Couldn't let him go alone," he answered truthfully, idly wondering why his voice sounded so slurred to his own ears. And since when did Megumi sway back and forth like that, her hands outstretched as if she wanted to catch something?

"Oi, Foxy, what's wrong?" Crashing into the hard floor Sano realized that it wasn't Megumi who had done the swaying. Strangely enough, the impact didn't even hurt- since all he could see was the angelic scowl of the physician-agent leaning over his prone form, light fingers cooling the fire raging in his shoulder, spreading like liquid through his system. "Hot…"

"Sano, how many fingers am I holding up? How many fingers, Sano?" What a stupid question… although her hands _were_ beautiful, especially since there were so many of them… three, no, four!

"Many fingers, Foxy… Megumi… too many fingers." She frowned. Had he angered the beautiful fox? Didn't she like her many fingers? He had to make that up again! If only his head didn't hurt that much… he must've hit it when falling… Now Megumi was pulling something out of her bag- ah, she wanted to extinguish that fire in his right shoulder!

"You know what, Megumi? You're beautiful!" Was that really the best he could manage? How pitiful! No wonder was she crying… or was that rain falling down onto his left cheek that was burning where Saito had struck him… "Beautiful…" he murmured, the strength to move the muscles in his tongue slowly evaporating as he slurred the syllables together. Even he had trouble understanding himself! His left hand, at least, was still under his control, and with all the strength he could muster he reached up towards the pale cheeks and red mouth, the shining eyes that showed only concern at the moment and those long, glistening, blue-black strands that felt so soft… he thought he touched her velvety skin, caressing it with the pad of his thumb, before letting it fall back to his side with a contented sigh, not even realizing anymore that it had hit the floor as he finally blacked out from blood loss.

Megumi just stared at him, her skilled hands halted in their movements by his touch, the bandages and salves she had pulled out of the bag she had brought with her floating uselessly in the air, held up by pale, slender fingers that had forgotten what they had wanted to do. His touch was just like him- rough at first, but infinitely gentle once he had reached her, soft and sweet like she imagined his heart to be… and what was she doing there, just sitting there when he needed his help? A frown creasing her brow she set to work, stripping the shirt from his shoulders and torso, disinfecting, salving, wrapping, until there was no more to do. Only then did she allow a sigh to escape her painted lips, and, still kneeling besides him, she slowly lowered her head, until it rested on his chest, listening to the strong heartbeat pulsing against her cheek.

Exhausted and worn though as he might be, the sight of his angel was enough to make Kenshin's heart beat faster. The determined gleam in her eyes, the slightly pouting frown on her face, those few smudges of dirt she had acquired while crawling through the bushes around Shishio's mansion- she was impossibly sweet, fresh, beautiful… refreshment for senses that had been on edge for too long, senses that were rubbed raw in far too many fights.

"Kenshin!" She called his name. His voice didn't want to obey his commands, and thus it was only after a very pregnant pause that he found his answer.

"Yes, Miss Kaoru." Whether this was an answer or a question of his own whether she was real or not remained to be determined. She, however, didn't even wait for him to get accustomed to her being there. Without further ado she flung herself at him, almost choking him with her arms around his neck, not caring that he had to fight for balance because of the force her sudden movement carried with it, it was only touching him, feeling that he was alive, the fluttering of his muscles underneath his lightly tanned skin marred by the scars life had given him. A large one on his left shoulder met her fingertips as she loosened her grip, giving him space and air to breathe while allowing her to reassure herself by staying in as close contact as she could without choking him to death. He smiled, somehow pulling his arms from the space between them and lightly closing them around her waist, holding her while not really holding her. Her body pressed against his reawakened memories, something he normally shunned but gladly accepted this time since they were of the bittersweet kind… it hadn't even been a year since then, and yet it all seemed so far away when Kaoru was near, like an old scar almost forgotten, one that couldn't hurt anymore.

Eyes in the color of the deepest lake situated in a face colored like the snow-covered peak overshadowing that lake slowly spilled the liquid collecting at their corners, little creeks running over the smooth alabaster surface of her cheeks even though neither her eyes nor her lips ever lost their smile. "It's like a second birthday, finding you," she said, almost choking on her joy. He tried to give back the smile the best he could, while from the sidelines, from a corner of his mind, from his memories, another smiling face watched their happy, peaceful little moment.

*~* 

Her eyes were shining, the joy his little present had brought her immeasurable as she cuddled the silken shawl folded around her neck in perfect, graceful waves. "Thank you!" she said, her voice as hushed and quiet as always, but with an undertone of cheerfulness that belied the nickname she had been given by the men in the Agency. Tomoe wasn't an Ice Queen, she had just had her share of bad experiences with people and preferred to keep herself company, not unlike he himself did. It was no wonder the two of them had hit it off so early on…even though it had been barely a month since they had first seen each other… and Tomoe still hadn't quite gotten over the fact that Kenshin was her new partner…

"I have been wondering… when is your birthday, Kenshin?" She looked at him with those heavy-lidded, sparkling brown eyes like a mixture of champagne and brandy, expecting him to answer. Even the joy her happiness brought him couldn't overcome the darkness descending upon his soul at her words.

"It's not important," he said, avoiding eye contact and sounding colder than he had wanted to. Tomoe retracted her hand, shyly clutching the shawl over her heart before stepping towards him.

"Kenshin, I want to know." She reached for him, forced him to look up into her eyes- she had about an inch of height on the young man- by holding him by the shoulders. His amber eyes showed nothing of what went on within himself, a shadowed mirror where she wanted to see his inner self.

He shrugged, dislodging her hand and retreating further into himself. "Kenshin?" So hurt, so sad… he couldn't stand to stay distant from this woman. Turning around so he at least wouldn't have to face her he fought to keep his emotions as far from his voice as possible.

"I can't tell you- I don't know when it is. Shishou never cared about these things, and I forgot about it… and now I just don't know anymore."

She hadn't been able to answer, instead, she had just stepped up behind him, slung her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, tense and coiled as each muscle was. Her soothing hands relaxed him, and they just stood there for a while, savoring each other's company, feeling comfortable in their silence.

*~*

"Yes, that it is," he agreed, the smile gracing his lips and lighting up his eyes reaching far into the past and deep into the future, "that it is."

"Where am I?" Sano just had a way of ruining the most perfect moments. Megumi jerked away from him as he tried to sit up, falling back with a groan as she exerted just a little pressure on his right shoulder, her face a brightly burning red.

"Idiot rooster-head, you're still in Shishio's mansion. You just fell unconscious. What did you think, walking around with an injury like that! You're lucky Misao, Kaoru and I came to rescue you!" Her fury didn't even have an iota of a true ring to it, rather pathetic as it sounded.

"Foxy? So it wasn't a dream, you're really here… and you're just as beautiful as I dreamed!" Megumi was inclined to write his words of to the state of semi-delirium the tall fighter still had to be in due to the fact he had lost o much blood, but the heat rushing into her cheeks and tinting them rosier than normal belied her intention.

"You need to rest," she scolded, sounding much gentler than her usual biting sarcasm allowed. Sano squinted through tired eyes at her flushed face.

"Will you stay with me again?" She shook her head.

"I need to look after the other two first," she said, allowing him to grasp her hand and to clutch it as tightly as he could in his weakened state. He pouted, the chocolate eyes underneath the slightly ruffled red bandanna pleading.

"But you'll come back then?" There was no way she could resist the Sagara pout, Sano was sure of that. And, soon enough…

"I will," she promised, pulling back her hand and getting up, vanishing from sight to look after the other two who were in need of medical attention.

Once every cut had been bandaged, every broken bone given an improvised splint and cast they helped each other to stand, Misao supporting Aoshi's larger frame with an ease that betrayed the strength lying in her petite form, Kenshin leaning only slightly on Kaoru, not wanting to be a burden for the spirited blue-eyed woman, and Sano quite content to almost bury Megumi in his arms. Her supporting him looked more like an embrace than anything else, but she seemed more than happy to go along with it, so he didn't change his position in the slightest.

"Now, everyone ready to kick some ass?" Even though his injuries were the gravest of the whole group Sano was the most eager one to meet up with Katsu and Tsunan and then go find Shishio to finally have him out of the way for good. All of them had agreed they couldn't take the risk of the Pharaoh pursuing them once again on their flight- thus the Pharaoh had to be incapacitated. Waiting for the elevator to take them up to the ground floor again, having once more made good use of Misao's stolen code card the six fighters exchanged determined glances, assuring themselves and each other that everything would be alright- soon.

With the chime and the squeaking of the doors opening they stepped into the suddenly much brighter light of the small hall with the emerald stripes on the walls.

… to be continued … 

* * *

_Uh… really not much shorter than the last one, was it? And rather full of pointless fluff- at least as much pointless fluff as I could manage… _

_Yasai: *twitching with spasms on the ground* I'm honestly considering a visit to a therapist because of a severe case of fluff overdosing. What the hell possessed you, Chi? Sure wasn't me… _

_Argh, grumpy action-loving muse! There was a fight there for you as well! _

_Yasai: It was too short, and a little… well, you know, Chi! _

_Not my fault I know more about fighting with weapons than about fistfights! I never even saw a boxing match, how should I know the moves? _

_Yasai: Okay, okay… I rest my case. _

_Well, before I can start doing the reviewer's corner I have a question… I have two plots for stories I want to write once I finish SL or RtK. Sure, that's still a few week's time away, but then… I'd like to start planning now, so… _

_Yasai: Spit it out, Chi! _

_I wanted to ask if anybody were interested in reading them and telling me if they are any good… I know, I should just write what I like, but since it's two I thought I'd ask my readers about which of them is better… one is a Kenji-centered one, the other a Kaoru-centered one… _

_Yasai: Well, you heard her! Please answer. And now about the reviewer's corner- how about doing it now, Chi? _

_As you wish! Here it is ^.^ _

* * *

**Reviewer's corner**

**Asuka-chan**_: Thank you! Hope you're not too disppointed with Sano-action... I'm a fencer, thus I have some problems writing fistfights... but I promise to be better next time, I really do! Hope there was enough WAFF!_

**CurlsofSerenity**_: A cat? I envy you! Wish I could have pets of my own... but it's not to be, my parents say that with us moving around so much we should not have pets... *snief* I want my own Sano! My twin... let's just say he's REALLY evil if he wants to be *gets dragged off computerr by angered Ry*. I know, I know, I shouldn't say these things!_

**ixchen**_: Thank you! It's just a week since my last update this time... wait, even less! Six days! *grins*_

**Leina**_: *grins* The origin of Megumi's lipstick... I almost wrote in how she found it in a drawer of her room, but then, I'd ratherr have it remain a mystery... I think she has some secret woman's power- no, seriously, I envy women like her, always looking so... womanly! Soujirou has managed to escape for now... but I don't think that's the last we'll see of him *grins*._

**lebleuphenix**_: Kenshin's cheerleader? I was cracking up over this, you know. My family thought I had spasms because I was laughing so hard... I almost couldn't write that fight, I kept seeing Sano dressed in a short, green skirt and white T-shirt waving pompons and crying "Go! Go! Kenshin!" You're sooo evil! *sniggers* Anyways, thanks again for reviewing! Hope to see ya!_

**Queen of Shadows**_: Aoshi-Misao viewing scene completed *looks on her list* Oh, it says there will be more WAFF between those two in the next chapter! *grins* Until then... _

**EEevee**_:Sano for me is the person to 'open mouth, insert foot'... OK, I might be mistaken, but... I like him that way, reminds me a little of myself when I'm annoyed and/or angry... Northern Italy? I haven't seen too much of it, our stay in Italy was rather busy and short (and I lived there... *oops*) but it's beautiful! I would like to go back there again some time... _

**ESP**_: Whoa! Thank you for al the compliments! Hope you're not too swaped if this Fic is updated again ^.^ Thank you!!!_

**Brenna and Darkening**_: Thanks for your support, guys- and you're excluded from the read-the-plot-offer! You already gave me your opinion! *bleh* *runs and hides because Brenna attacks her with cough medicine* Go away, evil stuff! *Darkening finds her* WAAAAHHH! *gags on cough medicine*_

**Special thanks to**_: Regan6 for putting me on your 'favorite authors' list!!!_

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_Yasai: Bye. Review. Me hungry. Need reviews for food. _

_What my muse really wants to say: Thank you, all readers, for having visited that little story of mine! Hope to see you around some time in a review, I need them to survive, and until we meet next time I'll just say Cya!!!_

_Chibi-chan and Yasai_


	18. Chapter 17 Eris and Discordia

_Ciao!!!_

_Before I start off with this chapter I'd like to thank you all for the patience of reading through this fic- I didn't even realize it had blown to these epic proportions already!_

_Yasai: Chi just can't do the KISS trick..._

_Well, and then I have three things to say. First, I am still asking for volunteers to read through my plots. Either tell me in a review you'd like to do so, or e-mail me at Hoshiakari@web.de ... your help would be so very much appreciated! _

_Second, I have had a very busy time and have been 'Germanized' since I have to read a whole lot in German, so forgive me if my English sounds a little odd in this chapter._

_And third and last but not least: Enjoy reading!!!_

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_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

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Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

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**Chapter 17**

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**Eris and Discordia **

The elevator's chime startled Tsunan and Katsu from their comfortable dozing, the duo jumping to their feet and knocking over their poor protégé Yahiko in the process creating almost a greater rustle than the disheveled group of six half tumbling, half walking out of the opening doors. A brilliant smile on their identical faces the twins relieved the women from their load, easing the wounded fighters gently down against the wall, if with a frown when dealing with Aoshi. The Oniwabanshu Okashira's traitorous actions had not been forgotten- but dealing with adverse feelings was pushed to a later time since there was still the main objective of the mission furthest to the front of their minds.

"I see you've gotten them all out alive," Tsunan remarked towards Misao, the young ninja beaming up at the much taller man.

"Don't ever doubt the talents of an Oniwabanshu," she chided with a small smile in her eyes and on her lips. The mere fact that she was so close to Aoshi had her heart jumping with joy, the liveliness in her whole being replenished by his presence.

"I'm sure my brother wouldn't dream of it," Katsu said, "however, we're going to need these talents once more, Misao- we need to get out of here and back to our safe house as soon as possible… or aren't we?" Inexplicably, his very wise suggestion was met by hard and icy stares from the six men and women who had just rejoined with them, and even Yahiko looked slightly uncomfortable under the onslaught of determination radiating from them.

"So we aren't getting out- I should've known… after all, this was a mission involving Battousai… he never gets out when he should… Hiko was right!"

"You shouldn't lament your fate that much, brother- we have an eighty percent chance of survival in his company. That's what Katsura's and Hiko's stats say- who _is_ that Hiko guy, by the way? I've been wondering for quite some time yet… judging from the fact that he works with Katsura e must be a big shot, but then…"

"Uh, Tsunan… I think the rest of our team aren't really interested in these musings," Katsu remarked dryly, causing Tsunan, to the relief of everyone except himself, to stop talking.

"Uh… who are you?" Sano asked, clearly not quite over the confusion that came with the blood loss and shock from his injuries. He had thought the girls had come alone- and now there wasn't only Yahiko with them but also two strange men… or was it just one man? The young ex-Sekihoutai didn't really trust his eyes yet… and the two of them _did_ look a little too much alike.

"Oh, sorry… we knew about you, of course, but you were unaware of our presence. We are Tsukioka Tsunan and Katsuhiro, agents-at-your-service. Are you really Battousai?" Curious peeks at Kenshin's rather slight and pale form accompanied the hasty introduction and question.

"Oro? Yes…" the red-haired agent sighed, apparently his secret wasn't a secret anymore. "It's very nice to meet you, Mister Tsukioka and Mister Tsukioka, that it is." He gave a slight bow to each of them, assessing their skills with his sharp eyes and mind. Not bad… they were in above-average physical condition, and judging from their banter they also had the ability to withstand psychological pressure- Katsura had stationed some of his best near the border, it seemed.

The adults unconsciously moved closer together while either of them was waiting for the other to make the next move, to formulate the one plan that would lead them to safety… even if it was though attack. It was only after a few minutes of silence that the realization struck that apparently none of them had an inkling of what to do now. However, none of them spoke until…

"Now, since we're not running, what are we going to do?" Yahiko pushed himself nose first into the tightly knit group of adults, making room for himself- much to their annoyance- between Sano and Megumi. The role of the innocent _advocatus diaboli _suited him just fine- his large, brown eyes finding just the empty air as he questioningly searched for eye contact and an answer to his question. Instead of meeting a clear answer, however, he first met only silence- and then all heads unanimously turned towards the slight, inconspicuous figure of the redheaded agent sitting at the very edge of the group.

"So what's the plan, Kenshin?"

*~*

"So what's the plan, Seijurou?" Katsura leaned across the rather mangy-looking table in the third-class diner Hiko Seijurou had chosen as a meeting spot. Grimacing as his sleeve stuck to an adhesive pool of long-since dried up, unidentifiable liquid his impassively burning eyes tried to breach the void Seijurou kept instead of his black eyes. He had to almost tear the fabric of his sleeve, but he finally managed to free it from the vile… stuff clutching at it, enabling Katsura to grab his equally sticky glass containing- hopefully- tap water, of which he took a cautious sip.

"The plan, Katsura? I don't even know what you're talking about!" If anybody had wanted an actor to portray perfect righteous indignation in his role he should have chosen Seijurou.

"Please, Seijurou, you know as well as I that we're desperate for time! We haven't yet heard anything from Himura, and-"

Hiko held up a single finger. "Correction, my friend: _You_ are desperate for time. I have all the time in the world, except for that slight problem with the large platter I should have fired today… why, I should just return to my kiln instead of being here!"

Katsura sighed. Leave it to Hiko to act as though everything was alright when the world was about to collapse. "May I remind you that _you_ were the one who initially supplied us with the information in question? I finally got his source out of Yamagata… _you_ had contacted the Wolf and asked him to research certain movements of the Pharaoh, haven't you? Now, I must ask you to work with us in this one- bitter as it is, the Agency's best is not available at the moment we would need him most, so we need the _former_ Number One to return, just for this one mission."

Hiko Seijurou certainly looked surprised. He always enjoyed playing mind games with his old partner, and he had expected him to play along for a while longer until he, as always, would drop the bomb and reveal everything he knew. If Katsura was desperate enough to _beg_ him to cooperate…

"Katsura, what's new?" His black eyes lost their void look and assumed the sharp glint that had struck fear into everyone daring to cross him in his days as an agent- and still did to everyone coming across it, for a fact, everyone, that is, except for Katsura. The Agency leader sighed, decided he'd rather avoid eye contact with his ex-partner for the moment and pushed back from the small table in the shadiest corner of the shady diner, his chair protesting the motion with a loud creaking sound that made Katsura question its structural integrity for a second before he refocused and answered Seijurou, the low tones of his voice just barely crossing the distance between his friend and himself.

"The Regime has rallied its forces- we're not sure how, but they've obtained a list of the identities of every single double agent of ours in their forces, the location every single safe house close to or on their territory, and details about our rather… _delicate_ project involving young Himura. They are preparing for a massive strike, a strike that could very well destroy us o at least severely cripple us, and furthermore, we have sent Himura into yet another trap. We didn't know this at the time we sent the order for him to allow himself to be recaptured, assuming he could take out the greatest of all Regime plans by removing the Pharaoh rather permanently from his position at the head of the Regime forces, but now… the Pharaoh's plan was far more complex than we thought, and even though the information we supplied Himura with wasn't _wrong_ it was just the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

We can't send help to him because we're going to need every single agent at our disposal to get the _other_ agents away from the Regime, and those who won't be on rescue missions will have to guard the safe houses. It's chaos at HQ at the moment, and we need someone with skills in the field as well as in tactics to get things into order- I need help, Seijurou, _your_ help. There's noone else- please, at least consider helping us out."

Breathlessly, Katsura ended his narrative, tentatively raising his gaze to meet Seijurou's fury. He knew his friend would be rage incarnated, but he hadn't prepared himself for the wall of ice he met when looking at him. Seijurou's eyes were narrowed to the point of being infinitesimally small slits, the large, long-fingered hands clenching the edge of the yellowed plastic table so tight new cracks were beginning to spread outwards from each of his fingers, every single muscle along his jaw clearly visible and highly defined as his teeth were clenched to the point of breaking.

"So this is what happens when I let you run things alone for a mere week, Katsura? The Agency in danger of going under, your options nonexistent, and your personnel alone and abandoned in hostile territory? Tell me, what about the backup plan I had included when I sent you the Wolf's report? Have you at least had the farsightedness to implement this simple measure?"

Katsura met Seijurou's silent fuming head on, not backing down in the least. "Believe me, had I known a week ago this would happen I would have made different decisions- unfortunately, there was a delay along our information routes, and I only got to know of the Pharaoh's new ploy this morning. You can call me incompetent- but it wasn't my fault, it was Murphy's Law striking at the least opportune moment. And you can rest assured- I _have_ made certain we have backup, using your plan and slightly improving it. Trust me at least this far, Seijurou."

His hands released the table's edge, ruffling through impeccably cut black hair, sweeping it out of Seijurou's eyes. "That's Agent Hiko, Katsura."

Katsura's burning brown eyes widened slightly. "You're in, then?"

Seijurou nodded, arms crossed over his muscled chest. "Just don't expect me to work with any of your rookies. I'm going alone."

Katsura actually smiled- a genuine smile, breaking the tension that had risen to almost unbearable levels. "No, you're not, Seijurou- you're working with me on this one. Yamagata will be in charge of all the administrative issues, you and I are going out into the field again."

"Whatever," Seijurou replied indifferently, lips curling up in unveiled disgust as he touched the same sticky spot on the table that had trapped Katsura's sleeve earlier while getting up. "Can we move this to your office, then?"

It was you who suggested this location, Katsura thought, smirking as he basked in the knowledge that even the unshakeable Hiko Seijurou got uncomfortable when faced with dry mystery liquid. "Let's go," he said out loud, carefully avoiding contact with any of the grimy furniture in the diner and throwing the gibbering woman behind the counter a ten. "Keep the change," he said, even though he wasn't sure she understood him.

Hiko smirked when the woman's eyes followed him to the door, but even he didn't want to stay a second longer. There were limits to what was tolerable…

*~*

"_What_?" Even though it wasn't really ladylike Megumi's jaw hung as slack as those of the others after having heard Kenshin's answer. "No plan?"

"No plan," the agent confirmed, his body and voice shaking due to the fact that Tsunan was currently holding onto his shoulders and trying to bring him to his senses again.

"But then… how?" Sano asked, any more articulate sentence fleeing his mind as he found himself confronted with the fact that he was about to try and assassinate a madman in his own home without so much as an inkling of a plan of how to do it and- more important- how to get away afterwards.

"I honestly don't know." Kenshin rubbed his bruised shoulders, having finally escaped Tsunan's grip. "I had orders to be recaptured alone- then wait for the Pharaoh to challenge me and take him out. I couldn't have planned for all of you to be here with me, that I couldn't!" His lips twitched into an almost-pout. "So it was Sano who ruined the plan, that it was- _he_ should come up with the new plan, that he should!"

Megumi dramatically sighed and rested her head on Sano's shoulder. "We're doomed, then," she stated. 

Sano bristled with injured pride until his injuries reminded him rather painfully that he had other things to worry about at the moment. Settling down, he sighed, raking his uninjured hand through his hair and sucking in his breath as he touched a tender spot. "Damn," he summed it all up.

"Right. Damn." Kaoru looked furiously tired, even in her wildest dreams she had not anticipated ever sitting in the Pharaoh's mansion, casually talking over plans of how to kill the landlord. Shutting her eyes to ward of the headache beginning to pound against the inside of her temples she gripped her neighbor's hand, squeezing it tight while thinking.

"Ouch! Miss Kaoru…" Kenshin's own thoughts were disrupted rather abruptly as the bones of his fingers grated uncomfortably against each other in Kaoru's impressively strong grip. Vise-like grip, to be honest… on moment… vise-like! That was it!

"There might just be a chance for us all to get out of this alive, that there might!" He exclaimed, eyes shining brightly. For the second time in ten minutes eight heads whipped around to face him, and he felt himself buried under rather furious stares.

"Oro… well, I have thought of what we could do, that I have. We are just enough people, that we are… and Shishio, the Pharaoh, won't ever see this coming, that he won't." Kenshin smirked- or perhaps that had just been an illusion caused by the play of light and shadow on his face. He just didn't smirk, no he didn't.

"Why don't you just cut the chase and tell us what we should do? Honestly, Kenshin, why do you _always_ have to speak in riddles!" Yahiko threw his hands up in exasperation. It was the first time the young boy had made himself noticeable, and the adults looked rather relieved it had been him and not them who had asked the agent to make himself clear.

"We are going to go in two groups. If I have analyzed this building correctly, each floor has been built like a Roman villa, by an Italian architect, that it has. This means everything is centered around a large room in the middle, probably reaching from the ground floor up to the roof, or even an open courtyard… and I believe that Shishio's personal quarters will be on the topmost floor in the middle room, that I do. Divide and conquer… one group will take the way around the right side of the building, the other will go left, then we will meet at the doors, like the two halves of a vise. We will have to adhere to a rigid schedule or we will fail, that we will. Shishio won't ever anticipate us taking this risk, that he won't, so we have a chance. What do you say?"

Agent Takani Megumi smiled. She should have known Kenshin would come up with something like this, crazy and daring enough that it might just work. 

"Your reputation is well earned," Katsu stated dryly, giving a thumbs-up at the same time. Tsunan nodded.

"Battousai's craziness has been underrated, he should be called mental instead of just slightly insane… well, I think we have a rather good chance of surviving if we do this one right- I say we try it!"

"We try it," the others echoed. Megumi chuckled, the hacking, caustic sound mirroring the insecurity the group felt despite their vote of confidence.

"And if we don't succeed I don't think we'll have to worry about anything anymore."

"Foxy, you really know how to cheer us up." Somehow, Sano had managed to grab a hold of the physician-agent's hand despite the bandages around his shoulder that were (supposedly) limiting his movements. Megumi returned his squeeze of her hand softly. If they were going down, they were going down together.

"What are the groups?" Now that was the interesting question…

*~*

"You wish to keep it a secret that you're back? But it could buoy morals amongst my people if they knew _the_ Agent Hiko was back!" Katsura argued, but even as he spoke the words he knew they met a steel wall of resistance.

"You will not tell. You have a serious security problem, Katsura." He sounded as though he explained to a child that fire was hot. Katsura scowled, feeling the tension between him and his partner rise again, just like it always had back in the old days when the Regime had just been the distant possibility of a mirage on the horizon.

"Alight, I will not tell. So, what do you suggest we do?" Even though it was hard for the Agency leader to admit, Hiko's strategic mind and photographic memory that had recorded every single incident and encounter with the Regime over the course of more than a decade already would be the decisive factor in his planning.

"We do what they don't expect us to do. Send skeleton crews to guard each safe house, the minimum of teams required to extract our compromised agents. The rest… will be our attack force. The Pharaoh thinks himself invincible in his own fortress in the North. We will show him he isn't."

"And you are going to lead that attack, Seijurou?" Katsura didn't look like he appreciated Hiko's plan.

"Wrong. I thought you said we worked together again. _We_ will lead that attack. The Pharaoh will be crushed once the leader of the Agency walks into his living room. Even Shishio won't recover from that."

"Psychological warfare… my friend, you're even more cruel then Ikumatsu when she's angry."

Hiko snorted, walking over to Katsura's desk. "I suggest you start giving the orders- if our information is correct we have less than twelve hours."

"Yes, Agent Hiko, Sir," Katsura mock-saluted, "and _I_ suggest, by the way, that you learn how to follow orders again, Seijurou- you are, after all, my subordinate now." Hah! Now he had one over his insufferable friend.

"Well, in that case, consider me a freelance advisor to the Agency. Double the normal salary, of course. Oh, and no orders. Otherwise…" Well, it had been nice while it had lasted. There was no way the discord between him and Seijurou would ever be solved… but then, strangely as it might sound, their divisiveness was the base of their friendship- including the fact that the winner of their argument was, without any exceptions, always Seijurou. Katsura was just glad he survived the biting wits of the cynic… and that he could fuel the genius's drive once in a while. And Hiko was content to prove his superiority to Katsura- while knowing he could always rely on his friend. Eris and Discordia did not always govern the end to understanding…

*~* 

"We are nine people. Three of us are wounded. Eight of us are trained in one way or the other. What would you make the groups, Megumi?" Katsu asked. Megumi tapped one long finger, the nail topping it cut short to end with the tapered point of it, against her chin while voicing her musings.

"Two groups, one of five, one of four. I wouldn't divide Aoshi and Misao, the two of them are used to working together, as are Tsunan and Katsu. I should stay with Sano, lest the rooster collapse again… the rest of us is divisible. Misao knows her way around buildings, so she should lead one group. Since Ken-san told us so much about how this mansion was most likely built he should be second leader… now, then that puts Misao and Aoshi on one team… and I'd say since Aoshi's wounded you two should accompany them, you know at least basic first aid. So we have four… I'd say Yahiko stays with Kaoru, so these two can't go on your team, Sano and I will have to stay together… I'd say the rest of us is going to be the group of five. Alright?" She tuned to Kenshin.

"Alright," cobalt eyes narrowing in concentration, quickly extrapolating all the possibilities the agent nodded. "This is the best possible constellation, that it is. Fighting power and knowledge are equally distributed. Thank you, Miss Megumi," he smiled, a reassuring sight despite the hardened golden glint his eyes retained.

"Well, then…. what are we waiting for?" Kaoru asked, "let's just set that schedule already. Where in the building are we?"

Misao grinned proudly. "I know. Look!" Quickly, she drew a map of the rectangular outside walls of Shishio's mansion, then added the rooms they had been in already.

"Right now, we're on the north side, the shorter one. If what Himura says is correct then Shishio, the Pharaoh, will be on the opposite side two floors up. There's only three floors, we saw that when entering. Now, one team will move along the west side, the other along the east. It shouldn't take too long- most of the Pharaoh's guards are on the ground floor, and he's never before had his mansion infiltrated. So, what do you say, ten minutes till meeting on the south side on the third floor?"

"Make that fifteen minutes, Misao. If one team encounters difficulties it is easier for the other team to wait in one of the rooms on their side than out in the open." Aoshi's cool, collected voice didn't leave room for argument, and the whole group was quick to agree to his suggestion. After all, as leader of an independent spy group he was almost as much of a legend as Battousai was.

"Fifteen minutes it is, Aoshi-sama. You are right, of course. Let's go!" Energy radiated from Misao as she bounced on the balls of her feet, just warming up for the battle lying ahead. The whole group readied their respective weapons and got ready to leave, steering towards the staircase visible on the other side of the room- all except for one.

"Let's use the elevator to go upstairs," Megumi, ever practical, suggested.

The top floor was as silent as the grave- literally. There wasn't even a single guard in the guard room next to the elevator, a fact that made Kenshin's spine tingle and his eyes harden into flat disks of matte gold.

"Good luck- see you in fifteen minutes, Himura," Misao whispered, the eerie silence getting to her as well. Kenshin nodded, too distracted by the calculations and analyses going on in his mind. Whirling thoughts couldn't come to a clear result, but the lingering feeling of unease and the certainty of walking into a trap couldn't be banished. Before he could voice his doubts, though, the four members of Misao's team had already crept away, silent as the shadows lining the bare walls decorated only by horribly done neo-Egyptian frescoes. 

Jerking his head towards his left Kenshin tiptoed across the room, every step a reminder of his painfully exposed position. If the Pharaoh had cast a trap for them, now would be the time to activate it.

"There's no trap here." The voice almost made him jump out of his skin, the Sakabatou trembling in his too-tight grasp.

"Miss Kaoru!" he gasped, the silence shattered by his accelerated breathing. She smiled at him, and for a second the scenery around him changed into white emptiness, the horrible paintings on the wall taking on a life of their own, creating a landscape sweeter than nature itself. The scene, the emptiness and beauty and the blue jewels of life set within it, settled around him and his frayed emotions like a cloak, a vision of peace and perfection. The smile, however, didn't last long, her pushing him forward conveying the need to go on, still the moment lingered in his mind and calmed his somewhat turmoiled feelings.

Casting his senses out like a fisherman would his lines the agent felt relieved when he really couldn't detect a trap or threat of any kind. Quickly moving through the rooms, their longish form making them into some sort of long corridor, he carefully flitted along the walls, the others following him closely. Even Yahiko managed to overcome the notorious clumsiness young boys were infamous for, the child moving with stealth and grace suited to someone two decades his senior. Sano, with Megumi's assistance, was a little slower but still nothing but a phantom in the night.

Within five minutes they had arrived at what Kenshin deemed the door leading to the corridor running parallel to the one on the side they had originated from. Yahiko, in his youthful innocence, had asked him how he could be so sure about that. He had only gotten the mysterious answer of "I compared Miss Misao's sketch to the proportions of the rooms we passed through and calculated this building's length, that I did." Yahiko- like the other three of them, including Megumi- had not really understood what he meant, but one look from the flat golden eyes Kenshin sported in his nervous state had told them to let things be.

They had yet to see a soul, had to _hear_ a soul, and even Kenshin's _ki_-sensing abilities were unable to detect any hostile _kis_in the vicinity. Somehow, the agent _smelled_ that something wasn't right. The Pharaoh- _Shishio_- wasn't this careless. He wouldn't allow himself to be trapped by his enemies without some sort of protection.

"There _has_ to be a trap…" he murmured to himself just before all hell broke lose.

Misao flitted across the open expanse of a rather stately room, checking and double-checking for guards or traps before returning to her group. Steadying Aoshi by allowing him to lean on her, his arm around her small waist, the other clutching the hilt of one of his _kodachi_, drawn and ready, the glinting steel biting the eye with a promise of what it could do to flesh she carefully crossed from door to door, taking more time than she liked to take, yet she felt strangely safe and secure in the arms of her one true love. Off to the side and behind her Katsu and Tsunan employed all their skills to secure their flanks.

Her calculations had been slightly off- even before she peeked into the long, well-lit, white-walled corridor she had suspected as much. Well then, they had already arrived, and with eight minutes to spare! Sighing softly, she checked the room for guards again, asking Aoshi whether there was anyone nearby and getting a typical, monosyllabic answer. "No."

Thus, she settled on the floor for the wait, there was nothing she could do since Aoshi had already sat down in a meditative trance, blatant disregard for the discomfort it caused his injuries evident when he didn't even wince. Just when she had taken a deep breath to calm herself the attack began.

*~*

Hiko Seijurou was annoyed. He had explicitly told Katsura he didn't want to work with rookies, yet half of the force the two would be sending into Regime territory were exactly that. They stood about as much a chance of survival as a moth caught in a frying pan with the lid on. And he could do nothing about it since every single agent in the Agency had already been given a task.

Since he wasn't well-known anymore- apart from his name his being had faded into the realm of myth- he had chosen the most simple disguise known to humankind: hide in plain view. Thus, he was listening to Katsura explaining the course of action the two of them had decided earlier on, his hands itching for his favorite weapon while the unfamiliar weight of a pistol was hanging on his hip. Katsura had agreed when he had expressed his wish to join the regular force to just come as a greater surprise to the Pharaoh, but that meant sacrificing his sword. And to Hiko, that was a great sacrifice, one he was barely willing to make for this first talk. Afterwards, there was no way he would be separated from his _katana_, and since there were a few other agents trained in the art- Katsura had been trying to find a replacement for his baka deshi when he had decided to quit the assassination business- he would not seem too out-of-place.

"… final strike against the Pharaoh." At last, Katsura had finished his speech. Faster than the eye could follow Hiko was at his locker, taking out the long, wooden sheath containing the deadly sharpness of his prized possession. Moths they might be, but these moths were fighting back. And even though he hardly admitted it to himself the rage and icy fear at the thought of his baka deshi walking into a trap while he lingered on the border to the Regime consumed his mind. The idiot just couldn't protect himself… it figured that Hiko had to go and help him _yet again_. Eyes shut tight in annoyance he listened to the footsteps of Katsura approaching.

"Two hours, my friend," the Agency leader said in passing by. He didn't get an answer- if one didn't let the slight growl and twitch of an eyebrow count as one.

*~*

Fire… fire was raging all around them, an impenetrable ring of smoke, heat and flames. Aoshi was holding her upright, the hailstorm of bullets that had preceded the fires almost ending in a casualty. It had been Misao's quick reflexes that had turned a deadly shot into a graze- but a graze along her right temple, almost shallow enough not to bleed at all but at the same time strong enough to send her into unconsciousness. The tall man, covered by agents Tsunan and Katsu, had dived for cover behind the nearest piece of furniture, which had happened to be the sofa that, like the rest of the room, had gone up in flames the second he had attempted to hide behind it. He still couldn't feel the _ki_ signatures of any opponents close by, but the whistling of bullets cutting through the air hadn't subsided either. There had to be an automated gun somewhere… perhaps connected to some invention that was rumored to have been made about half a year ago- motion sensors. If that were the case… well, then he had better resign himself to a very long, very hot wait for Battousai since there was no way he could escape from the trap with himself in less than optimal condition, Misao unconscious and the two agents busy warding off the flames. Shinomori Aoshi was caught. At least you are holding her while you're in hell, he thought, the comfort that thought offered him somehow outweighed by his frustration at his inability to carry the lithe girl to safety.

Still, he wouldn't be fast enough, and motion sensors wouldn't be fooled by his liquid movements because they, unlike humans, didn't consciously or unconsciously rely on sensing _ki_. He was helpless- and he couldn't even save Misao.

The girl was stirring in his arms, convulsing before suddenly crying out and throwing her arms around his chest constricting from the lack of oxygen in the smoky air, almost choking him. "Aoshi-sama!" She only quieted down when he pulled her closer. "Aoshi-sama," she sighed, falling silent again.

"Misao…" Shinomori Aoshi waited.

… to be continued …

_A little less fluff and action here… but much-needed update on Hiko and Katsura included. Now, there's some things I'll have to address… _

_Yasai: Beware, it's important! _

_Well, this concerns next week's update. As I'm leaving on a one-week study trip to Berlin this Friday I normally wouldn't be able to update… but then there's the fact that I, unlike the rest of my classmates, am underage. This means I get to stay at the youth hostel while they go out in the evenings (I may only stay out until 10 p.m. according to German law… stupid fifteen! These are the times I really curse my age! Wish I were 18!), and this means I can write (I'm taking my laptop with me). However, I have no internet connection… thus, here's the deal: You let me break 100 reviews and I'll do my best to find an internet café or public library where I can access the net and upload the next chapter. *grins* _

_Yasai: I didn't know you were an extortionist, Chi… should I fear for my life as your muse? You might use **me** to trade for reviews next time! _

_Yup! I'm the most dangerously pathetic extortionist on the face of the planet! And the youngest ever convicted in Germany *grins* if I used my muse. Well… I will write anyways, only I won't sneak out to search for a net access *grins* so you can decide. Hmm… and I might just bring along the next chapter of RtK as well… the story is always in the back of my mind nagging me to write it but as of yet I sorely lacked the time… which is something I will have during the study trip… _

_Yasai: So go check that story out as well, review it and… we'll see! _

_Well, until then… some (useless) information! _

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**_Eris and Discordia_**_: Eris is the Greek goddess of discord and divisiveness, Discordia is her Latin/Roman name.(*grins* I have a foible for mythology… have you ever read the classic Greek sagas? Do so, they're great! I actually **love** all of them… Ilias, Odyssee, Aeneis, the Argonauts… wish I could read them in the originalGreek version!) _

**_The mangy diner_**_: A location such as this actually exists- I found it in the outskirts of Paris when we were living in France. My friend and I (both new to Paris though she's French) had lost our way and took the wrong metro. Well, we looked for the nearest phone booth (we didn't have mobiles then), and ended up stuck to the vile dried mystery liquid in an area where neither French nor English was spoken… rather it was that gibberish Verlin. I think I have never been so grateful than when our taxi finally arrived! _

_ Yasai: And then… the reviewer's corner! _

_My favorite! _

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**Reviewer's corner**

**CurlsofSerenity**_: Umm... no, there's noone in the army in my family, but my Dad's kind of a professional troubleshooter so we can't stay in one place for too long. It's not as bad as it sounds, though- it's rather funny to get to know all different kinds of lifestyles and cultures. You read my bio? I just handed your compliments over to my friends and twin- they were the ones that wrote it for me. I huggled them to death for it. *grins* Would you like to read the two plots and decide if any of them is a Mary Sue-plot? *puppy-dog-eyes-attack* I promise I won't go to hospital again any time soon (thank you, the experience with my ankle was quite enough to last a lifetime. The FOOD! I swear they aim to genetically manipulate their patients with it... or perhaps drive them insane so they have character studies of how normal people suddenly snap!)_

**Leina**_: Not yet... but soon, perhaps? *grins*_

**EEevee**_:Choking on fluff... death by suffocation is an ugly one according to my Medical studies-book! Tried to unchoke you with this chapter^.^ . Thanks for your vote of confidence... I think I'll choose sometime next week... SL has fewer than 10 chapters to go, after all... *snief*_

**Sango3**_: Thanks! Hope you read on! _

**Queen of Shadows**_:*grins* More WAFF in the end... even though it was sort of a strained kind of WAFF- but it's all going to get better... sometime soon! I wish I could for a change simply save the characters and write Shishio dead, but unfortunately he's still very alive and breathing flames down my neck so I don't dare doing that (just yet)... _

**ixchen**_: Thank a lot! Till next time ^____^_

**Asuka-chan**_: Hmm, now it gets difficult. How to get more WAFF in there... *ponders* *has found solution* It will come SOON!_

**Jensa**_: Thanks a lot! Hope to find the time for reading sometime this week... _

**Natsuko**_ Wow, what an adventurous weekend! Want a holiday, too... the Alps are supposed to be great for skiing... yet I never saw them. Thank you sooo much for offering to read these plots- I'm really, really insecure about both of them. May I send you an e-mail this week? Also, I can't wait for your story to come out *feeds Natsuko's muses with her favorite Swiss Ovomaltine [Ovaltine] chocolate*. I'm itching all over to read it... Thanks for the information on fistfighting- I really didn't know a thing when I started writing that chapter. Now I'm a little relieved- apparently, the basic principles **are** the same in all kinds of martial arts/fighting. Urgks, should stop rambling... have another Chemistry project to complete *scurries off* Thanks sooo much!!!_

**Special thanks to**_: Sango3. Thank you ever so much for adding me to your favorites!_

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_Well, that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed reading and will leave me a review to take with me to Berlin!_

_Yasai: Extortionist Chi... still can't get over that *arms herself with pepper spray and handgun*. Better safe than sorry- please review or she might use me!!!_

_Cya!!!_

_Chibi_


	19. Chapter 18 Pandemonium

_Ciao!!! _

_Well, I want to apologize for this chapter being so late, especially after I got so many wonderful reviews from all of you (in spite of my extortionist measures, which I usually despise…). The cause for this was, however, beyond my circle of control… well, to cut a long story short: my classmates caught me writing in the evening, they thought it was funny 'Baby Chi' was trying to keep herself occupied, took my laptop and didn't quit harassing me since then. My laptop was hidden in the room of the boy I most despise (he **lives** to make fun of me and my 'scrawniness' as he calls it) and, of course, I wasn't informed of this. It took me some time to find out, and then some more time to… persuade these stupid, immature boys to give it back. I am used to being picked on (if you're fifteen and look thirteen and have nineteen year-olds as classmates it's a law of nature), this stunt, however, went beyond the usual pranks and pretty much delayed my finishing this chapter. I only got back from Berlin on Friday, and have been either asleep or checking this since. I hope you'll forgive me, not only for being late but also for just blabbering about how miserable I am at the moment (it actually makes me feel better to write all of this down) and enjoy reading nonetheless! _

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_"…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place _

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Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

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**Chapter 18**

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**Pandemonium **

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Aoshi was clinging to Misao's still form, still waiting for the hailstorm of bullets spraying from the muzzle of the motion-sensor-equipped gun to subside in the slightest so he might at least get her to safety. However, the Pharaoh's equipment was, as usual, the newest technology, enhanced by the technical genius of his mistress, Komagata Yumi. The ex-prostitute had a brilliant mind when it came to electronics and machines, surprising though as it might seem she could put any male engineer to shame with her innovations. 

However, being targeted by a gun developed by a female engineer didn't make the situation even one bit better. Aoshi hated to admit it, but at this very moment his admiration for Miss Yumi's skills turned into rather strong hatred for those same skills and he found himself cursing Shishio rather vehemently for choosing his partner-in-crime exceedingly well. Misao softly moaned as he clutched her to his body, acting as a human shield for the injured girl, the piece of his shirt he had fastened over her mouth and nose as a ward against the acrid smoke making his eyes water and his lungs burn not enough to keep her alive for long. She was incredibly brave and strong, and as much as he would have liked to remain in the calm place that was his center, shielded from the increasingly disturbing emotions coursing through his body the need to protect the last remaining member of his original spy group pulled him from it, the world suddenly losing its sharp focus as it spun in the more hazy perception of a slightly-above-average human being. He knew what that meant- smoke intoxication. His body was able to withstand the symptoms longer than normal people's, but that didn't make him immune to the side effects of breathing in too much carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The dizzy spells were only the beginning… 

"Seek shelter underneath the furniture!" Katsu, the more levelheaded of the twins, was already diving for cover when he shouted his piece of advice, having noticed in advance the telltale split in an innocent-looking wooden panel. And, sure enough, a second gun spouted bullets from its muzzle as soon as the words had left the agent's mouth. Aoshi merely shot the thing a dark look as Tsunan cursed a blue streak when a stray shot ricocheted inches past his left ear. Fortunately, crawling around on the floor, while it _did_ bring them closer to the flames licking at everything flammable within their reach, was the way to evade the noxious fumes filling the air courtesy of that same fire. 

"You couldn't have waited a second longer, could you, Katsu?" Tsunan almost screamed. His brother, however, was too busy diving and rolling all over the floor to reach a low table that hadn't yet burst into flames and was promising shelter to take notice of Tsunan's plight. 

"Damn!" he swore, just as a thin red line appeared along his left thigh, a bullet he hadn't quite avoided impacting with the table's surface and sending splinters of wood and black lacquer everywhere, sharp projectiles almost on par with the metal ones. Talking, however, was provoking the inhalation of more smoke than his lungs liked, thus sending him into a coughing fit that had him sputtering at the end. "Shit," he hoarsely murmured. 

"We have to get out of here or disable the thing," Aoshi cried, his voice barely making itself noticeable among the myriad of stuttering and screeching noises from the guns and bullets. The refined, silken tone was replaced by a rawness caused from the heat, the smoke and exertion of a body too injured to be up to the fight for his life. Aoshi repressed a cough, swallowing another lungful of superheated, smoky air in the process. 

"Second option. First is out of the question, those damn things double-cover the exit," Katsu shouted back, clutching at his injured leg, a hacking cough wracking his lanky frame. The flames were coming closer and closer to where he hid, and his eyes glazed over with the first signs of panic. 

"Has Misao still got her _kunai_?" Tsunan asked, dodging another errant shot and trying to breathe shallowly enough to avoid taking in too much poisonous air. 

"You plan on using them to disable the guns? I'm sorry but they won't be strong enough!" Katsu cried, even before Aoshi could answer his brother's question. 

"Not the guns, idiot. _Think_!" Tsunan managed to sound indignant but not offending, a twin thing Aoshi surmised, moving back from his position since it was getting too hot there with the fire rapidly spreading. 

"I get your train of thought, Tsunan. This might work. I'll throw you three of Misao's _kunai_, we'll shoot on the count of three." 

Aoshi shot three of Misao's human-driven projectile weapons towards the agent's hiding place, Tsunan pulling them out of their wooden lodging place as soon as they had impacted, shooting his brother and Aoshi an appraising look before narrowing his eyes to peer through the chaotic maelstrom of metal, dust, smoke and splinters of furniture. 

"One… two… and three!" His fingers released the _kunai_, the muscles of his throwing arm straining as he lent the throw all the might he could, three little sharp knives cutting the air before impacting against the only vulnerable place their mechanic assaulters offered: the swiveling base they were mounted upon. Small explosions obscured their view, as all three of the intruders into Shishio's mansion tried to ascertain the success of their little ploy. That the guns didn't stop their bullet-spewing didn't really make matters easier, and it wasn't until a full minute later that Aoshi could discern any results of their master plan, the fire lending unexpected assistance as a column of heated air sucked away the smoke. Through the wavering air he could see the six little knives lodged deeply in the gun's platforms or, if they had cut through the steering cables, in the smoke-blackened wall behind it. 

"The guns are frozen," he declared the second he found out, his brows scrunching together in an effort to calculate the exact angle of both guns and the blind spot the trajectory of the bullets now had. 

"Keep close to the left wall, and use the sofa Katsu is currently lounging under for cover and you should be fine!" Tsunan beat Aoshi to determining the best escape route, and even though it earned him a scathing look from his brother and a slight twitch of recognition from Aoshi he didn't wait for their reactions, instead throwing himself across the room in a daring roll that brought him into the bullet-free zone. 

"You now, Tsu, whoever made these little buggers will be furious that we broke them," Katsu remarked offhandedly while sprinting towards the wooden door reduced to splinters leading to the hallway they hoped to meet Kenshin's part of their group in. 

"Yumi? She'll be livid!" Even Tsunan found the time for some light banter, the immediate danger of being shot having been averted and all. 

"What? Who is Yumi?" Katsu asked, slightly distracted by the noise that still threatened to deafen every one of them. 

"Haven't you read our briefs on the Pharaoh? Yumi's his girlfriend, a graduate of the Regime's most acclaimed university and perhaps the most brilliant engineer alive at the moment. She hit on some hard times, and became a high-class prostitute before meeting up with Shishio and… well, you can imagine the rest." 

"I'd rather not." Tsunan managed to sound dry even though he had to shout to reach the ears of his brother through the bedlam around them. 

"I recommend stopping chatting and start concentrating on getting through that door. There's about six inches of bullet-free space on its left. We will go through one after another. I'll get Misao out first, then you two go and I'll follow," Aoshi instructed calmly, ending the brothers' argument with cold efficiency. 

"Yes, Sir." Crouching next to the doorframe, right behind Aoshi and his light burden, the twins shook hands before nodding. "Let's go." 

Quick as lightning, Aoshi had thrown Misao through a curtain of flames out into the hallway, her body impacting with the floor in a roll that wouldn't leave anything worse than a bruise or two, the twins out behind her just as fast, and then the silent, stoic spy leader followed them with cat-like grace that belied his injuries- almost. A grunt forced itself from his throat as he had to use his arms to catch his fall, the slashes on his shoulders giving him more problems than he liked to admit. Even though he was reluctant to accept it, Battousai had got him good during their duel. He just silently hoped the insufferable agent encountered similar problems on his end of the hallway; after all, he still harbored a grudge against the red-haired agent. A tongue of flames shooting at him from the room they had just vacated and the sounds of small explosions going off behind him, however, distracted him efficiently from these thoughts, and he was rather quick in distancing himself from the menacing black cloud of acrid smoke rolling out from the doorway he had so luckily escaped out of. 

"Well, now we wait," Tsunan forced out through a coughing attack that had him clutch at his midriff. Katsu nodded, shaking his head weakly to dispel any lingering traces of the dizziness that had assaulted him as soon as the level of adrenaline in his body had dropped back down again. His arm burned with a fury, and the blackened patch of skin that still had a few shreds of his otherwise destroyed sleeve sticking to it told him only too clearly why. 

"Just one question, Katsu: Why would someone set fire to his own home?" he asked, not really expecting an answer to his question. 

"If it burns the cockroaches infesting it, the measure is adequate." 

Aoshi didn't even want to think about who the speaker might be. 

*~* 

Katsura was confident they would make it in time to help agents Himura and Takani out of their present predicament, which was probably why he could be so amused at the sight of his friend Seijurou grumbling and seething about the 'apparent incompetence of rookie agents who haven't even had appropriate basic training and are trying to infiltrate our most dangerous enemy's base'. The entire operation so far had to have been a nightmare for the misanthropic ex-ex-agent, waiting two hours until their transport arrived, five minutes late to top it off, flying in slowly and too close to the ground for comfort to avoid detection by enemy radar, and finally having to track through hostile territory with a group of what Seijurou thought were imbeciles who should rather cling to their mothers' sleeves than be out engaging a deranged leader of enemy forces, even though to Katsura they were some of the most promising new agents his organization had to offer- the agent-turned-artist-turned-agent probably was as close to blowing up from all the pressure as humanly possible. He was concerned for the safety of his student, Himura being the only one who could even remotely hope to meet Seijurou's approval some day, he was angry with Katsura for forcing him to work with a group of people when he knew his ex-partner knew he was best alone, and he was very likely just impatiently awaiting his chance to once and for all put the Pharaoh where he belonged- six feet under or a mental institution, Katsura wasn't sure which one Hiko would prefer. Probably the first alternative, though, should agent Himura have sustained any injuries. Hiko was very protective of his student- and heaven help those incurring the wrath of that man! 

"Agent Hiko, how far to the mansion?" Luckily they had been contacted by the communications officer of one of their safe houses telling them about two agents having started a rescue operation hours before they could mount theirs, using bugged Agency vehicles that led Katsura's forces to the architectural menace visible through the thin cover of trees attempting to shroud it from view. The Agency leader had to suppress a shudder at the sight of the ungainly building. It should be forbidden to use precious resources for erecting atrocities like that. He would be sure to instigate the passing of a statute to do just this back home, he mentally reminded himself. 

"Katsura, ten soldiers, fifty feet to the West. I suggest your _rookies_ deal with this- they shouldn't be a problem even for them." Hiko's voice turning icy and his face hardening in concentration spoke volumes about what had to be going through his mind. Katsura nodded, and waved the little troupe of agents off to do their work, Hiko's instincts being even more trustworthy than the new experimental technology the Agency was toying with and that was supposed to pick up and make visible sources of heat- like human bodies. Unfortunately, the Agency scientists had yet to come up with a reliable system, and until then the best thing they had was the uncanny sixth sense of his partner. 

"Seijurou, where in the building are they?" he asked, anxious to reach his people as soon as possible. He might seem aloof and out of touch with the base of operations most of the time, due to his enormous workload as both the head of the Agency's administration and leader of the operations forces, but he knew and cared for every one of his employees. 

"I can't tell," the black-haired, taller man replied with a frown, his brows knitted together in concentration. His senses were being dulled by _something_- and then there were the irritating, high-strung rookie agents mulling about too close for Hiko's comfort, a disturbance he could not shield himself against. 

"It's _not_ the time for your personal vendetta against Himura," Katsura snapped, his nerves as much on edge as Hiko's. 

The resulting deathglare that was directed at Katsura just about added another decoration to Shishio's walls- Egyptian style, of course. Hiko's hair sparkled with an unholy green light, and his eyes appeared to have turned into dark red laser-beam emitters.¹ 

"Katsura, I suggest you don't say that again. Something's blocking me. And my baka deshi apparently isn't strong enough to get through the block." 

Well, he managed to berate him _and_ insult Himura at the same time. Seijurou was unique, if he dared say so, Katsura considered with a smirk around the corners of his eyes. He was the only one who could make a situation as tense as theirs bearable while looking as though he was in complete and utter control of it. Katsura only now fully appreciated his old partner being at his side. 

"Your rookies have finally finished, Katsura," that partner reminded him flatly, already striding towards the mansion's side entrance, head held high, his trenchcoat billowing proudly behind his imposing figure. Katsura could only shake his head. Why had they ever let that man slip through their fingers instead of making him the leader? But then, his people skills _were_ rather underdeveloped- the image of Seijurou trying to deal with the Agency's day-to-day business simply didn't fit into Katsura's picture of the man. 

"Then what are we waiting for?" the Agency leader asked noone in particular, following his supposed subordinate into the building, past the knocked-out – or dead- forms of Shishio's guards. 

*~* 

"No!" Kaoru screamed, the shock of seeing Megumi vanish behind a wall of what looked like liquid fire finally settling in. Kenshin whirled around, his weapon already drawn and ready, creating a shield of pure wind pressure that forced back the stream of fire blasted at them just enough so they weren't roasted to a crisp within the first two seconds. Still, the temperature rose to almost unbearable levels, and with a shocked yelp Yahiko extinguished the small, red tongues licking at his pants. 

"What _is_ this?" Megumi screamed, panicked. Behind them, another fiery grating materialized as previously innocent-looking decorative ornaments on the walls turned into muzzles spouting highly flammable… 

"Ether!" she screeched a second later, realization hitting hard as the first onslaught of nausea and gagging reflex had her swaying on her feet. 

"What do you mean, ether? Is it that stuff that makes me feel so tired?" Yahiko asked, stifling a yawn, clearly hard-pressed to stay conscious. Kaoru simply looked furious as she tried to shield herself as good as she could with the sleeves of her shirt, pressing the rough material against her mouth to ward off the smoke and gaseous liquid. 

Kenshin had difficulties maintaining his concentration, the fogginess in his brain expanding into a great, black cloud lurking behind his stinging eyes as his wrists and fingers ached from the effort that pushing back the flames required. He coughed, the oxygen level in the room having dropped too far. 

"We have to get out of here!" Yahiko was about to collapse, his smaller body succumbing easier to the anesthetic than those of the adults. Sano nodded, eyelids drooping and eyes clouding over as the pain in his body was replaced by the eerie sensation of floating along on a wonderfully heated, fluffy pink cloud. 

"Follow," Kenshin gritted through clenched teeth, redoubling his efforts and, very slowly, drawing the grating in front of them into a column of flames and smoke, clearing a path to where the door had been and where now only a black, smoking hole in the wall remained. 

"Tell me why anyone would light his own house on fire, Foxy?" Sano slurred, the ether affecting him the most out of all the adults since he had been in the worst condition from the start on. 

"I don't know- perhaps the Pharaoh was freezing?" Yahiko answered, stumbling alongside Megumi and Kaoru, who were doing their best to keep the two males in line and from falling too far behind. 

To Kenshin, eternity was caught in the few moments they spent breaking through the wall of flames- reality insisted it had been only a few seconds. Sputtering, coughing, faces and clothes black with soot, hair singed and brains woozy they emerged from the trap, having truly survived hell. 

"We- we made it!" Megumi exclaimed incredulously, slumping down against the nearest wall only to find the others standing around her and Sano, who had collapsed together with her, in a protective semi-circle. 

"Oh no," she groaned, taking in the fifteen guns trained onto them by an equal umber of Shishio's guards. 

"Miss Kaoru, you should stand back, that you should," Kenshin said, his dark golden eyes never leaving those guns. 

"I won't," Kaoru replied, gripping the handle of her own weapon tighter. She was glad now she had insisted on taking a _bokken_ from the Agency safe house's gym, the feeling of the smooth wood beneath her fingertips familiar and reassuring even in her half-dazed state. 

Kenshin could hardly focus, and the thought of Kaoru beside him and in danger was driving him crazy. Sano could not help him- he had taken too much abuse in the last few hours. Megumi was clearly preoccupied with fussing over both him and Yahiko- who was talking about Tsubame flying around him wearing silver butterfly wings and singing- and would not be able to fight. That left only him- and Kaoru. He didn't like it, but he was slowed down by the anesthetic fumes as well, and needed every advantage he could glean in this fight, and as he studied his cards it was obvious that Kaoru was the only advantage he had. 

"Hands up, now. I don't want to shoot you, Battousai, but the Pharaoh only wants you alive- not uninjured." The leader of the group of Shishio's soldiers stepped forward, the muzzle of his gun trained on Kenshin's right shoulder, ready to take out Battousai's sword arm. 

"Why should I heed your order?" Kenshin asked, stalling, trying to will Kaoru to move, to take out the rightmost soldiers so he could start his path of destruction from the left. She stared into space with those glittering, sapphire eyes of hers, and he was about to despair when she suddenly whipped her head around, meeting his intense, amber stare with hers. Understanding dawned behind her gaze, melting her stupor and forcing her brain to awaken from the ether-induced trance. An imperceptible nod and a furrowing of black eyebrows signaled her readiness, her body remaining motionless but still starting to tense up, a wound-up coil ready to unfold in the merest fraction of a second. 

"You, Battousai, are in no position to ask or demand anything. Now, put your weapon on the floor and your hands up in the air and I will take you to meet the Pharaoh. Understood?" Kenshin smirked, the unholy light in his amber eyes shining with an intensity that threatened to burn through the man trying to face him down. He nodded sharply. 

"Understood," he said, suddenly whirling into motion, the few shots that actually were fired ricocheting harmlessly off the hallway's walls. The silver arcs his blade wrought into the air were the only signs of his passing, the thudding of unconscious bodies falling to the floor and the sharp smacks of his sakabatou hitting flesh the only sounds his fight produced. Kaoru's battle cries echoed in the ears of the fighters and spectators alike, her wooden weapon dealing as much damage as Kenshin's steel one. Even though she was slower and her movements actually visible she was no less intimidating, the way her hair blew across her face enhancing the deadly fire in her deep blue eyes. She was a battle-angel, Kenshin thought, stealing a glance at her while sending two more soldiers to meet the ground, beautiful and terrifying. Within seconds, the soldiers were reduced to writhing, groaning lumps of flesh and bones on the floor, any will to fight beaten out of them with the strength of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu and Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu respectively. 

"Understood I have, but I'm not going to comply, that I am not." Kaoru only glowered at the fallen men, a smirk on her face that could rival Hiko's- if she had known him, that is. 

"You scared Tsubame away," Yahiko groaned, coming to his senses on the floor. Sano clambered to his feet, only a slight sway in his stance evidencing the influence of the ether. 

"Probably a good thing he did, Yahiko. We still have a Pharaoh to scare back to his grave," the ex-Sekihoutai grinned broadly, his swaggering self-assurance returning with each breath he took that wasn't tainted with smoke and foul fumes. 

"Pharaoh? Shishio! Where is he?" Yahiko looked around wildly, apparently still a little disoriented. The adults' laughter brought him back to reality at once, Sano's guffaws shaking the wall he was leaning against. "Oh no!" 

"Yes, Yahiko. You were dreaming." Kaoru gently lifted the young boy to his feet, pretending not to see the blush creeping up his cheeks and turning his head into a life-like replica of an oversized tomato. 

"I… was dreaming?" The boy's face looked like the impersonation of bewilderment. Megumi reassuringly grasped his shoulder, steering him away from the unconscious bodies of the soldiers that had tried to capture them. 

"You were, but you aren't now, so if you're feeling better we should get going again- we don't want to keep Misao waiting, do we?" Yahiko nodded, still too dazed to make any remark about 'the weasel'. 

"Wait," Sano suddenly spoke out, reaching over with his good arm to hinder Megumi from moving. "I want to know why Kenshin was so sure there was no trap here. I mean, normally he knows these things ahead of time, doesn't he?" The agent in question nodded, closing his eyes in a gesture of remorse. 

"Normally I sense opponents, Sano, that I do, but something in here isn't right- it blocks my sixth sense and makes me… distraught, that it does. I'm sorry to have led you into a trap, that I am." 

"No harm was done, Kenshin, and besides, we had to get through these people anyway. We don't want the Pharaoh to continue torturing poor innocents." Kaoru soothingly lay a hand on Kenshin's shoulder, the slight flinch of his muscles at the sudden contact made up for by a sweet smile that even reached the darkest vestiges of his brilliantly glowing amber eyes. 

"We have almost reached Shishio, that we have," Kenshin informed his group, grasping Kaoru's hand with his own and guiding it back to the handle of her _bokken_, the dark, malicious spark lurking in the corners of his eyes returning to life. 

"What makes you so sure?" Kaoru asked, refusing to let her grip on her _bokken_ slacken even in the slightest. Kenshin simply jerked his head towards the far end of the hallway. 

"Because Saito and that mountain of muscle are cornering Misao, Aoshi, Katsu and Tsunan over there." 

*~* 

Katsura's men behaved like the trained agents they were, still Hiko couldn't shake the feeling they were too… weak, too _rookie_ to be there. Scouting around the sudden bend in the hallway they had chosen after entering the building they signaled everything was clear to go, but the master agent trailing slightly behind them walked with the utmost distrust and care for his part. He didn't like the dull, leaden weight settling in his stomach whenever he tried to sense whether an opponent was near, the block on his senses having increased tenfold with reaching the building's approximate center. 

"I don't like this," he muttered to himself, making sure to be out of earshot of everyone and Katsura in particular, clenching the hilt of his trusted weapon, the _nihontou_ tightly in his massive fist, "we should have met _someone_ by now. It's like Shishio is planning to lure any intruders into a trap…" 

"There is no trap here, Seijurou. My men haven't found a single clue that would evidence such a suspicion, and my guess is that Shishio's guards are too preoccupied with fighting off agents Himura and Takani to deal with us." 

Hiko silently glared at his friend and partner for having managed to come near enough to hear him musing without him noticing, but Katsura's words actually made sense. The Agency leader was a strategist if nothing else- and a very good one, if not as brilliant as the genius Hiko Seijurou. 

"I think the Pharaoh resides in the upper levels- we should find a way up there soon enough, and then we will surely find Himura as well. Someone seems to have passed by here already- my men have found two unconscious guards, gagged and bound, somewhere down this hallway. I will send them to scout for stairs right now." 

"I would rather take this lift here," Hiko smirked, pointing to the same metal doors Kenshin and his group had used before them. Katsura shook his head, but called his forces back. "Let's hope it's not locked somewhere." 

*~* 

"Who are you?" Aoshi asked, having to actually look up to stare into the shadowed eyes of his opponent. He knew he was tall- after all, he easily towered over most men he met, with the exception of three of his Oniwabanshu- but they were dead. This man, however, was not only tall but also a living muscle, his body so built that Shikijou would have looked like a scrawny schoolboy in comparison. 

"My name is Yukyuzan Anji, member of Shishio's elite defense troupe Juppon Gatana, Shinomori Aoshi. We have met before, even though I didn't tell you my name then." Aoshi pondered for a second, trying to scour his memories for Anji but coming up empty-handed. 

"I can't remember meeting you, Anji, but since you know my name I will take your word for the truth. I hope you are not leading me along, as I am in no way as harmless as you seem to think." A raised eyebrow was referring to the fact that Anji didn't carry any weapons besides his fists and feet, and hadn't bothered with protective clothing at all. A rasping sound bounced off his bare chest as Aoshi drew his twin weapons, shooting a worried glance at the small, lifeless figure of Misao slumped against the wall behind him. 

"I will not harm your little girl, if that is what you are worried about. Shishio wants her alive, and I don't care for her death either. I am here only to kill you." 

"The shouldn't you get your weapon ready?" Aoshi asked impassively, increasingly annoyed that Anji blocked his passage to the meeting point with Himura, his knuckles white around the twin swords in his hands. Sure, he was injured and weaker than he should be, his lungs burning with the remains of the acrid smoke he had inhaled, eyes red and irritated, but he had no doubt whatsoever that he would be able to dispatch of this giant rather quickly. However, he refused to attack an unarmed man who had not attacked him yet, thus he forced himself to find his center, the calming breathing exercise from his _Zen_ meditations easing the feeling of tightness around his chest. 

"I don't need a weapon, Shinomori Aoshi. My fists are all I require to kill you and carry out my mission." His opponent possessed equal calmness, equal stillness in the midst of chaos, equal focus as he breathed deeply, settling himself into something akin to a meditative trance before striking out with his fists, faster and harder than Aoshi had expected him to. 

Anji hit home, the staggering blows exploding against Aoshi's chest with the force of a sledgehammer, throwing the tall swordfighter off balance and into the wall next to the door he had come through, back into the smoke and heat from the fire raging beyond that door. A thin trickle of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth, and he groaned in pain when fingering the back of his head. Luckily his fingers came away clean, the force of the impact not enough to split the skin. 

"You are better than I thought," he admitted impassively, collecting himself and his swords before sliding into the stance that was all too familiar to him, hoping that his body would be able to cope with the stress his special technique put it under. His right foot led, and he entered the flowing dance that seemed to carry him like the river carried its water, seemingly calm and peaceful, but with dangerous eddies and currents lurking beneath the serene, sparkling surface. 

Anji didn't lose his calm, breathing softly and deeply, eyes closed in concentration as he tried to make out Aoshi's movements. For the first time he cursed Shishio for having installed the giant electro magnet underneath the mansion, the power of its field disrupting his sixth sense and making it impossible to find Aoshi. Only a flicker of movement to his left warned him to raise his block before the twin _kodachi_ Aoshi used with such skill cut deeply into the bandages protecting his forearms. 

His feet lashed out the same instant, forcing Aoshi to fall back and shield himself against the hard blow. He sidestepped the following left-handed punch that exploded the wall Aoshi had unconsciously backed up against, and retaliated with a sharp thrust from his right _kodachi_, careful not to stay in Anji's reach long enough for the muscle-clad man to hit him. The cramped surroundings aided the fist fighter and impaired Aoshi as it barred him from using his greater speed and agility, his greatest advantage over an opponent whose own muscle mass was great enough to become a burden. As lightning-fast as the jabs from his fists were, and as destructive as their result was Anji had a hard time hitting an opponent that simply moved out of the way, flowed through his fingers like quicksilver. 

Aoshi was hit more than he had expected, and each blow did far more damage than it should, even considering the difference in the two men's weight and Anji's more extensive knowledge of his style of fighting. Aoshi was trained in _kempo_ as well as his _Nittou Kodachi Ryuu_, and he knew how to judge an opponent who fought without a weapon. Anji somehow didn't figure- he was too strong, and his blows were too… efficient. Warding off another attack by the mountain-like man who had smeared charcoal in a triangle shape around his eyes, creating the disturbing image of a mental avenging spirit Aoshi fell back, counting the steps until he would hit the wall. There weren't enough of them left for him to feel safe, but each and any of his attacks were limited in their efficiency by the enclosed space, and he was simply too weak to attempt another of his _Kaiten Kenbu_-attacks. 

Misao's motionless body lay by now directly beside him, Anji having already forced him back far enough that he felt the searing heat of the fire roaring in the room to his right. Aoshi knew he didn't have room for any mistakes. Collecting his thoughts and strength in the center of his body before letting both radiate outwards into his limbs he crossed the blades in his hands, a scissor-like instrument of death preceding each of his ever-accelerating steps as he raced towards the tower of muscle trying to block him off from the rest of the hallway. A flying leap carried him the rest of the distance, and he felt nothing but carefully calculated satisfaction as his blades bit deeply into the obstructing mountain of flesh. 

Anji coughed, the sound too wet and hacking to have been caused by smoke inhalation. Aoshi allowed a shallow smile to curve his lips upward- and suddenly stumbled, doubled over himself, coughing softly and trying to ward off the agony spreading from his ribcage through every sinew, muscle and nerve in his body. One of his _kodachi_ slipped from the weakened grip of his hand as he clutched at his ribs, trying desperately to draw in the oxygen he sorely missed. And Anji was getting up again already… 

He only managed to force himself onto his knees in the time it took his opponent to climb to his feet again. Hopelessly trapped, Aoshi sent Anji a calm, collected stare smoldering with hatred and antipathy underneath. 

"I am well aware of what you have done, Shinomori. It was because you chose to betray Shishio that I got the order to kill you. You were to distract and, if possible, kill Battousai, and instead I find you his ally? You are a weak traitor, I don't regret killing you." Anji's eyes suddenly widened, his pupils shrinking together in shock almost beyond recognition before widening again, his shuddering breath hitching on a wave of pain he hadn't seen coming. With wonder and astonishment mirrored on his face he watched the long blade of a _katana_ slide from his body, following the trail of blood it left in its wake with detached interest as he gasped for air. 

"If he is a weak traitor, then I am no better. Yet I am the cause for your death, so who is weak now?" A swishing sound indicated the cleaning of a blade, the rasp of it sliding back into its sheath following immediately behind. 

"Who are you?" Tsunan and Katsu moved as fast as they could, placing themselves between Aoshi and the stranger, a dark glint in their eyes as they drew their pistols, training them directly onto the man who had killed Anji. 

"Who… Saito?" Lifting his head to look the new arrival into the eyes Aoshi stifled a cough, slowly got up, steadying himself against the wall before carefully making his way to where Misao lay, still out cold. At least the flow of blood from the wound on her temple had stopped, the glistening, dark trail leading into her tousled, raven hair the only indication of her injury. Aoshi bent down painfully, scooping the small, lithe body into his trembling arms and cradling her against his chest protectively. 

"Shinomori. What took you so long, and where is Battousai?" Saito stood at ease, watching the two agents trying to intimidate him with their weapons with smirking amusement. "Tell your little… helpers they had better take these down." 

"Look, I don't know who you are but-" Tsunan started, only to be interrupted by Katsu, the calmer of the twins forcing his brother to lower the semi-automatic to the ground. Saito smirked arrogantly. 

"That is much better. I think Battousai wouldn't like me to hurt you." Aoshi glared at him, river overblue diamonds in stead of his eyes.² 

"Saito, it is enough." He collected his _kodachi_, a task made more difficult by the fact he was still carrying Misao in his arms and wasn't willing to set her down even for a moment. "Battousai is here," he deadpanned as he uprighted himself again. 

"Battousai? Kenshin is here already? Well, it _is_ two minutes past our meeting time- seems like Agent Himura encountered similar problems to ours." Tsunan was already on his way, brushing past Aoshi and Saito, greeting the five slightly singed figures with a wave of the hand. 

"No problems here anymore, Himura," he announced, lending Megumi a hand with a slightly staggering Sano. 

"Saito. What made you turn so suddenly? And why have you killed that man?" Kenshin was clearly _not_ at ease. If he couldn't even sense the Wolf when he was this close… 

"It's about time you turn up, Battousai. I have been waiting for you and your cronies. Saito Hajime, the Wolf. I think you know me. It is time for me to stop lurking in the shadows, as I was ordered by Katsura to find you. I am to assist you in whatever crazy plan you have gotten yourself into. I am also to inform you that Katsura asks you to complete your mission soon." 

"Give me proof," Kenshin demanded, right hand hovering over the hilt of his sakabatou as he slid into a ready stance for battle. 

"Katsura listens to one Seijurou Hiko, who was also the one who trained you, Battousai. And if that isn't proof enough then I have his personal seal here." He pulled a wrinkled piece of parchment from the sheath of his trusted _katana_, smoothing the edges out, and showing Kenshin Katsura's name and family crest in deep red ink. Amber eyes narrowed to slits, taking in the offered information, finally realizing the truth that had been under his nose for so long. 

"Saito, you… you are the Wolf. Katsura's deep undercover agent, the officer of the Regime army who has joined our forces. _You_ are the one I was to meet at the Pharaoh's headquarters- here? And I think _I_ was the one you were to meet, am I right?" Kenshin sounded every bit as skeptical as he felt, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, shining angrily. Saito, on their side? A predatory smile appeared on Saito's face, quickly replaced by a derogatory sneer as he rolled his parchment up and stored it in his _katana_'s sheath again. 

"I don't like this anymore than you do, Battousai. Don't believe I entered into this whole mess by my own choice. Had Katsura not ordered me explicitly to assist you I would have gladly let you run to your demise, believe me on _this_," the Wolf snorted, flipping a new packet of cigarettes from his breast pocket into his hands, pulling one out and lighting it. Blowing out the smoke he continued. 

"The Pharaoh intended for you to have died by this time already. He didn't expect you to have helpers, which is the sole cause for your being still alive. If I hadn't disabled his booby traps in both those doors you and your… company would be dead by now. Keep that in mind, and follow me." He turned on his heels sharply, the sneer of displeasure evident even from behind. 

"Now, wait just a minute, Saito. You expect us to follow you just like that after you beat me up? You want _Kenshin_ to follow _you_? He won't be that stupid! You will be leading us into a trap!" Sano bristled, freeing himself from Megumi's gentle embrace and stepping up to block the Wolf's way. 

"Sano, let him be. He tells the truth, that he does. I had my suspicions about the identity of our spy, the Wolf, that I had, and they were just confirmed by Saito. I will trust him on this, that I will, and so should you. If everybody is ready to carry on with our mission we should go right now, that we should. I don't know when the Pharaoh will send more guards." 

"Listen to Battousai. He at least possesses something that resembles a brain, idiot. Now, wake up your little girl and follow me. I will take you past the traps Yumi set up directly to the Pharaoh. Shishio expects you, Battousai. I guess you are up to it… or maybe not, considering you had to pull these… people through." Saito mustered the rather ragged appearance of the agents, Oniwabanshu, Kaoru and Yahiko. 

"I will be up to anything Shishio throws at me, Saito. And _these people_ are my friends who have helped me a lot. I would rather you not talk about them like that any more." His fists clenching at his sides Kenshin faced Saito, certain in his beliefs and rather annoyed at Saito's continuous insults. Wolf or not, he should better watch his tongue where Kenshin was concerned. Even though he struggled against it, he felt his darker side, the feelings he so carefully restrained since Paris, well up and gain even more strength than they already had. He knew his eyes were beyond amber now, and frankly he didn't care. He knew he hadn't lost himself as well, he knew he would be able to control the power coursing through his veins, infusing his weakened body with strength he shouldn't rightfully possess.

"Are we ready to go, Battousai? I think Shinomori has problems with that girl of his…" Saito calmly smoked, elegantly flicking the ashes that had managed to mar the perfect surface of his white gloves off.

"Misao!" Aoshi called her softly, the long lashes on the girl's pale, smooth cheeks fluttering lightly, a moan escaping slightly parted rosebud lips. "Misao!"

"Aoshi?" She opened her eyes, the deep aqua colored pools darkening as she raised her hand to carefully touch her temple. "My head hurts," she moaned, eyelids falling shut once again as the pain became unbearable for her.

"Misao, wake up. We need you to wake up. You… _I_ need you to wake up. I want you to be able to escape if anything happens, and you have to be awake for that. Please, Misao- I don't want Shishio to touch you." Aoshi's voice had turned into a deep, loving whisper, inaudible to all but the lithe girl whose head was resting in the crook of his arm.

"I… just five more minutes, Aoshi-sama," she mumbled, coming to. When she looked into his face this time she saw the softness hidden beneath the stoic exterior, and carefully reached up with her left hand to touch a bruise Anji had left on his cheek. "What happened?"

"A bullet grazed your temple and knocked you out, Misao. We met up with Battousai and an undercover agent of the Agency. Can you stand?"

"How long was I out? And where is Himura?"

"Not long, Miss Misao, and I am only a few paces away, that I am." His raging temper had been calmed by the display of tenderness and trust between Misao and Aoshi, his restless instincts driven back with a sweet memory and defeated when Kaoru walked up to him, touching his arm, taking the anxiety away with the feeling of her cool skin on his left forearm.

"This just _had_ to happen to me," Misao grumbled, sitting up with Aoshi's assistance and finally standing with the rest of the group, self-consciously dusting her ruined clothes off.

"The weasel has joined us. Wonderful." Saito had finished his cigarette and simply leaned against the wall, watching the interaction between the Oniwabanshu leader and the young ninja girl with a spark of genuine concern in his unreadable yellow eyes. Misao scowled at him, feeling too dizzy and disoriented for any further action.

"Megumi, is the weasel hurt?" Sano asked, leaning in to the physician who still played the willing walking aid for the tall fighter. He was, to be honest, able to walk by himself now, had been for quite some time, but it was for the both of them too comfortable to be so close to each other to give it up when they didn't really have to. One of Sano's arms had inconspicuously sneaked around Megumi's waist, the other resting in a makeshift sling against his chest, and her head had dropped onto his shoulder, a place that was just made for it to rest there.

"I am quite alright, slight concussion maybe, but I had worse in training. Once I'm up and over this headache I will shoot you with my _kunai_ if you ever call me weasel again," Misao threatened, eliciting a chuckle from Sano and a disapproving frown from Megumi.

"Concussion? Do you see double?" she asked, working to untangle herself from Sano, but not really successful in removing his arm from his waist.

"I told you I was alright- wait. What's _this guy_ doing here?" She had only now noticed Saito, despite him having addressed her earlier. Kenshin sighed softly, letting go of Kaoru's hand with a regretful look.

"He is a deep undercover agent for the Agency. Aoshi told you he was here, if you can remember?" Soft amber eyes studied her carefully, seeking for any signs of weakness apart from the frown her headache caused her to wear.

"Wait- Saito is on our side? Could somebody _please_ wake me up from this nightmare _now_?" Misao shrieked disbelievingly. Aoshi sighed, while Saito only sneered at the enraged weasel girl.

"I assure you, you are not dreaming weasel, though I can arrange that if you want. If you want to stay awake then quit your shrieking and move. I already told Himura I enjoy this little… arrangement as much as you do- not at all."

"Saito… is our ally." Misao was dumbfounded. Suddenly, realization dawned in her, eyes blazing a furious turquoise.

"If you want to work with us then **don't ever call me weasel again**!"

"Stop it, Misao," Aoshi admonished her, the diamond hardness returning to his gaze as he faced her, causing her to blush and mumble an apology.

"Hi Misao! Nice to see you're awake and ready to take on Shishio!" Tsunan winked at the blushing girl, his twin joining him, before both turned towards Saito, who was by now looking positively bored.

"Where is the Pharaoh? I can't wait to kick his sorry ass from here to… wherever he came from," Sano drawled, slamming his fists together only to wince when Megumi pinched him in his bruised and sensitive side. "Ouch! Foxy, what was that for?"

"You should figure that out yourself," Megumi replied haughtily, expectantly looking at Kenshin. "Ken-san, you tell that… Wolf we would like to find Shishio today?"

"I will, Miss Megumi. Saito, since we are all as good as we will get, can you show us the way to Shishio?" Saito snorted, ignoring the flare of anger in Kenshin's _ki_ that he could feel even over the dampening effect of the magnetic field that encompassed the whole mansion. Wordlessly, the predatory Regime officer led the way, leaving the long, main hallway at a door two down from the one Kenshin and his part of their group had come from. 

"Shishio has seen us on his security cameras by now, I suppose, so there's no need for stealth. If he wants to take us out, he will simply send all of his guards and elite fighters at us at once. He has collected them all here- yes, Battousai, all of those you noticed at the Camp, and more. Soujirou you have already met, as well as Anji. Two, I have taken care of. The remaining six will be with him, as he tends to shield himself rather well. The Pharaoh doesn't underestimate the Agency as you have him, all those years back- and I suggest you don't take him too lightly this time, Battousai."

A flash of hurt crossed Kenshin's features when Saito mentioned him underestimating Shishio. He didn't need the words to remind him of the mistakes of the past, he carried his reminder everywhere he went. Tomoe… and Shishio. It was time to make the past rest, to finally put the last pieces of the puzzle he so desperately tried to solve together. Maybe then he could allow himself to find some peace… with someone he cared about.

A sideward glance at Kaoru revealed her introspective eyes; her long lashes overshadowing them and taking away any chance of him detecting her emotions. Her hand had slipped into his left again, clutching his fingers tightly, the at once rough and smooth skin tingling where it touched his.

"Kenshin doesn't underestimate Shishio," she suddenly spoke up, her clear voice deepened with the scratchiness from inhaling too much smoke, "but maybe you do."

Saito scowled, lengthening his strides and choosing not to answer the irritating tomboyish female Battousai had apparently chosen as his companion- or more. Their holding hands had not escaped the Regime officer, reminding him of his own love, safe in a place nobody but himself and the Agency leader knew about. Katsura had been the one to suggest he bring her out of Shishio's sphere of influence, and even though he had still been unsure about his course of action then he had gladly complied with the suggestion, the knowledge that Tokio would never have to feel the repercussions of his actions enough to completely sway him towards the Agency's side of the war. Speaking of Katsura…

"Your leader will be waiting for us not too far from here. I provided them with the location in my last report, so you won't have to worry about getting away once the Pharaoh has fallen, Battousai." He couldn't resist- another cigarette found its way into the corner of his mouth, the acrid smoke soothing the anxiety even the Wolf was not proof against.

"Saito, you shouldn't smoke!" Of course- that damn doctor Battousai insisted on taking with them just had to comment on his habit. A dark frown stole itself onto his face, but he ignored Megumi otherwise. Saito allowed himself this one weakness- against his better knowledge. He knew the tar clogging his lungs would impair his ability to fight in a decade or so, but since he lived so Spartan otherwise and didn't expect to live long and peacefully after all, he didn't really care. His vice, his trademark and the only thing apart from Tokio that managed to calm his nerves had kept him sane many a times before- why give up something so beneficial simply because it was hazardous for his health? Hell, his whole _job_, his very _existence_ was hazardous for his health!

"Foxy, don't even try to talk sense into this… thick-headed bastard. He won't listen to you." Sano couldn't resist the temptation, the opportunity to repay Saito for all these underhanded 'idiot' comments just too opportune to leave unspent.

"Sano!" Kenshin reprimanded him the second after, but the slightly lopsided, triumphant grin on Sano's face couldn't be affected by such a simple, mild scolding. Kaoru hid a giggle, her fingers laced through Kenshin's now- they would find it difficult to separate quickly.

"He is right, Kenshin," she whispered teasingly, her blue eyes sparkling. The fear and nervousness she felt were too great to endure, so she sought to replace them with trust and mischievousness as long as she could. To Kaoru, it was clear they were very likely walking to meet their Maker, still the young woman wouldn't be anywhere else. She belonged with this group of friends, this group of fighters. She had experienced tyranny and injustice firsthand and couldn't help but aid the fight against them. If this Shishio truly was the only commander of the Regime forces, then injustice and tyranny might just fall with him- a chance she was willing to take even at the cost of her own life.

"Do you think after this everything's over?" Misao asked, helped along by Aoshi and clearly enjoying the attention she received from her tall, stoic companion. Aoshi didn't answer at first, lost too deeply in his thoughts. Finally, he just tightened his hold on her.

"It might," he said, a light, longing tone slipping into his rough, deep voice. Misao smiled, returning his gesture by tightening her hold on his arm as well.

"Then I just hope so," she said.

*~*

Katsura was far from happy. Not only had they encountered at least fifty Regime soldiers when exiting the lift on the top floor, but they had also found no trace of Himura whatsoever. Not even the unconscious body of a guard marked by his trademark sword. Seijurou was slowly losing his patience. Already, he had taken to fighting himself, leaving Katsura to be the only one behind the lines, the only one to be protected. He had barely been able to see the dangerous glint in his friends' eyes when he had already left his side. By now, five guards had fallen to his sword. Seijurou seemed bulletproof as he danced through the lines of soldiers firing a relentless stream of metal slugs at the intruders, the Agency forces searching cover and taking them out one by one from their hiding places behind the open lift doors or around the bends of a hallway. Hiko signaled from where he was that his side of the argument had been resolved- whenever Seijurou Hiko took matters into his own hands it was a matter of seconds until there was no more matter to be taken into any hands. 

"Get over there, Seijurou," he called, having given up the notion of holding his 'secret weapon' back any longer. Seijurou nodded briefly in acknowledgment before blurring once again, his silhouette vanishing from sight faster than the eye could follow, resulting in an afterimage of the trenchcoat-clad swordfighter remaining hanging in the air for a few moments. The 'rookies', as his friend still called them, had just run out of a job- Hiko himself took care of all the guards that were actually still brave enough to fire at the Agency forces. Not even the silver flashing of his sword was a warning- once the Regime fighters saw it it was already too late, Hiko being long since gone, leaving grievously injured or dead attackers behind.

"What… what _is _he?" Katsura overheard his agents whisper more than once. He couldn't help but allow a wry smile to touch his lips. Even he, as Hiko Seijurou's friend and partner, asked himself that very question in times like these. When Seijurou was angry you had better not cross him… especially if he had reason to view you as an enemy.

"He can't be human!" Another whisper that was common amongst the dumbfounded agents. They were not bad- in fact, they were the best Katsura could assemble on such short notice. Still, against Seijurou in full battle-mode… Katsura reckoned that not even Himura could hold out long once the man he called _Shishou_ revealed his true might.

"He is human, I know that for a fact," the Agency leader informed his agents that were switching their staring from Hiko to him and back again. "He is just… different from most humans."

"Is he… Battousai?" This was one of the true rookies, a young man who had only joined the Agency's forces four months ago. He didn't know about Battousai firsthand, Himura was after all insisting to go under his true name now instead of the pseudonym that struck horror into the hearts of people.

"He isn't. He is… someone else," one of the older agents informed the young one calmly. Katsura assumed he knew about Himura and his desire to leave that nickname behind, and decided to assist the agent.

"He isn't Battousai, but he uses the same style of fighting," he said as Seijurou disposed of the last Regime soldier that had refused to surrender, unlike ten of his comrades who were quaking in fear before Katsura's partner.

"Same…style of fighting? _This_ is how Battousai fights?" Apparently the rookie just couldn't keep his curiosity to himself. Hiko quirked an eyebrow, as the fight had died down he had clearly overheard the young man's question.

"Don't ever compare the way my baka deshi fights to me… I am the one who taught him. He hasn't mastered the art completely yet- that is the difference."

"Seijurou!" Katsura scowled. He just _had_ to go and reveal his secret. Now he would be pestered with… or maybe not. One raised eyebrow and patented Hiko-Seijurou-glare shut up his nosy agent. Seijurou was _not_ known for his people skills- and the way he had made the young man's questions die on his tongue just proved that all over again.

"Well, Katsura, the obstacle has been removed. If you find it in you to actually rehinge your jaw we might find something before tomorrow."

"Alright, people, you heard Agent Hiko. Move it- Agent Himura requires our assistance." Katsura sent his agents on the way, Seijurou staying behind with a dark look on his face once more.

"I would like to find out what inhibits my senses… I can think of only one thing, something I experienced when traveling through a forest that was rich with ore… _magnetic fields_. Power enough to raise and keep such a field is there… these lines should certainly suffice… maybe…" Katsura caught onto his partner's train of thought too late- a mighty strike of the _nihontou_ had already severed the thick power cables, the sparks and bolts of electricity bouncing harmlessly off the walls as Hiko was too fast to be hit by them. The lights in the mansion flickered and went out, the agents crying out in surprise- and Hiko sighed contently.

"Much better. Now, there are no soldiers around this corner. Send your little force ahead, Katsura!"

*~*

"What… oh!" Kenshin even let go of Kaoru's hand as the power in the mansion suddenly died out, the artificial lights flickering out one by one, the only remaining source of light the weak, pale rays sneaking through the tall windows in the outside wall of the square room they had reached by now. To Kenshin, however, it felt as though a weight had been taken off his shoulders, the shock enough to startle his eyes back to amber-flecked cobalt blue. His senses returned to him, and he could actually make out what Saito had mentioned just a few moments earlier.

"So Shishio is in an atrium behind these doors… I see. But he is not alone, that he isn't. There are five other strong people with him- and they seem to be awaiting us already."

"So you've noticed it as well, Battousai? I wonder what made the power die…" Aoshi wondered, a faraway look on his strong face. "Anyway, we should rather appreciate this fortunate turn of events."

"Shishio is waiting for us? Why should we keep him waiting any longer?" Sano asked impatiently, wiggling an eyebrow at Megumi who just sighed in irritation.

"Not everybody enjoys running to his death," she said, but the conviction was missing from her voice. Saito silently grinded his heel on the remains of his cigarette, the red glow dying out instantly. "Now that Battousai's, Shinomori's and my senses have returned our chances are better. I think, however, that somebody cut the power on purpose- we should be expecting the magnetic field to go up again any second during our fight."

Misao nodded, readying her weapons. There were not too many of her _kunai_ left, so she scowlingly took her semi-automatic pistol from its holster and checked it. "Alright. I'm as ready as I will be. How about you, kid?"

"I'm not a kid. And I've been ready since _forever_!" Yahiko proudly proclaimed, clutching onto a revolver. Kaoru just took one look at the kid, then checked her hip, and then grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"This is _mine_!" she cried. Yahiko smirked. 

"You've got your pistol and your _bokken_. And I'm not going to be left behind, so I've got to have a weapon. This is the only one that I can fire, so I took it." 

"Let Yahiko take that revolver, Miss Kaoru. He is right, and we can't exclude him from the action after he has already come so far, that we can't. I trust you to watch our backs, Yahiko, that I do." Kenshin smiled at the young boy, ruffling his spiky hairs and earning a glare in return. 

"Now, Shishio, the time has come. You will now meet your destiny, that you will." Kaoru looked up at Kenshin's determined face, noticing the way his jaw clenched and the tight grip he kept on the hilt of his sakabatou. 

And I know that we will meet our destiny in there as well, she thought, determination overriding her fear as Saito reached out to open the door. 

… to be continued …

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_Well, that was it- SL's latest chapter has come to a much-needed end- after all, it was 'only' twice the length of a normal chapter… I have to thank you, my dear reviewers, and my twin Ry for making it possible for me to upload this- I was a mess after the study trip (which ended on Friday, 14th) and without Ry's support I guess I'd just have given up. It's **not** helping a writer when she's told she's stupid enough to think she can write when she's just a little kid. I have finally slept a little (I was so nervous in Berlin I couldn't sleep for more than two hours at a time without waking up), and Ry has lent me his strength and his grammar proficiency. My twin really is a life saver, and I can't even put the bond we share in words. Perhaps if you have a twin brother or sister yourself you know what I mean. _

_Yasai: Mushy… but it's understandable. Chi's last two weeks were hell. _

_But they're over and I'm back, and here's some _

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**Information **

¹**LASER**= Abbreviation for _Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation_: a device that amplifies a single frequency of light within the spectrum to create a directional, intense beam. As it can be any frequency within the light spectrum, colors range from ultraviolet to infrared (both invisible). Best known are pocket laser pointers in reds or greens, though.

²**river overblue** is a coloring of diamonds. They have a blue hue, and if they are flawless they are really expensive. I only saw one of these once (at Tiffany's), and I sure wouldn't say no if someone offered one to me… they're beautiful (which is why I chose them to describe Aoshi's eyes ^.^;)!

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_*grins* There's no such thing as TMI… and that's once again a saying my twin loves to use. _

_Yasai: Nosy brat! _

_Oi! I'm not a brat, insolent muse! _

_Yasai: Alright, then show how nice you are in the_

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**Reviewer's corner**

**CurlsofSerenity**_: Umm, as to where I've been living until now... let me see, we moved... 6 times? 8 times? I have been living in the US twice, that I remember. OK, in alphabetic order: Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan (I was two years old at that time so I don't remember anything), USA, and next summer it will be New Zealand (provided Dad doesn't get called elsewhere). Languages… well, I'm fluent in English and German (the two languages I had the most exposure to), semi-fluent in French (I never got around to completely perfectin it), OK in Italian and Spanish (though I don't really like writing these), can understand Portuguese, have been starting to learn Japanese but have to refrain from it at the moment due to lack of time. One of my teachers is Hungarian and she said something in the language- it sounded so cool I wanted to learn it… or perhaps Icelandic? Might move there next, and from what I've heard it's one hell of a diffcult language... just kdding^_^ I think I'll settle on Japanese for now! _

**Eeevee**_: Thanks first and foremost… yup, in my outline we're coming closer to the grand finale… but there's still some distance for me to cover. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well (my longest yet- WAH!) _

**Leina**_: I'll send you an e-mail then… may I ask when you have been in Germany/Berlin? I have been staying here for two and a half years now, but we're getting ready to move again. I didn't really like Berlin… courtesy of my classmates *scowls* _

**Firiel11**_: Homework is one of the horrors of life- seriously. I have and always will hate it! Thanks for reviewing! _

**Tan Kimiko**_: I enjoy reading mythology from all parts of the world… at the moment I'm into the Nordic myths- all about Freya, Thor, Odin, Midgaard, Loki… very bloody and dark, the whole lot of them! Asian mythology… I have not yet read any books on it, but it's definitely right up there on my list! _

**Natsuko**_: Geez, there's a place like this in Vegas, too? I have to watch out! Completed Berlin trip, am totally exhausted (my leg HURTS. Apparently, freshly mended bones are NOT meant to be walked on for twelve hours a day two weeks long…) _

**Ixchen**_: *smiles back* Thanks! _

**Asuka-chan**_: I have to adhere rigidly to my storyline… otherwise I'll forget the plot. Thank you!!! _

**Sword Master Jeff**_: I don't really know what 'oro' means- apparently, it is derived from the Japanese exclamation 'ara', which indicates either surprise, embarrassment, distractedness… as far as I know, a Japanese comedian Watsuki-sensei knew (or admired, can't remember which) used the 'oro'-expression instead of 'ara', so maybe it comes from there? _

**Lebleuphenix**_: I'm horribly sorry for taking so long! Hope you can forgive me! *huggles phenix* _

**Ari and Kat**_: Thank you! _

**Dawn**_: *runs to check birth certificate* *says Chi was born 23rd of June, 1988* *grins* Thanks for your compliments!!! I am sooo flattered- and you helped me a lot. I was being told I was too childish and small to do anything all the time over these past two weeks, and your review helped me to crawl back out of my shell! _

**Darkening and Brenna**_: As always thank you guys, and we'll meet on Tuesday, right? _

**Allin656**_: Thanks a lot and sorry for the wait! _

**Ariliana**_: mind conditioning brought on by school? WAH! *hides* I won't let myself be conditioned *offers anti-conditioning-helmet* _

**Ari and Kat**_: sure thing! I'm on my way to reading… but it might take some time- I have about a million projects to complete. But I will read- promise! _

**Jensa**_: Thank you! And as soon as I have a minute of spare time I'll go read your fourth chapter… need to do school stuff first, however- it's only under the condition that I keep my straight A average that I may graduate next spring… _

**All of you**_: You are the greatest! Thank you!!!_

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_OK, now this is the end, really, truly, honestly. RtK will be out tomorrow, I have to go over my spelling and grammar in that one again... All I can say is thank you once again, I hope you liked reading this chapter and will leave me another review so my muse won't start attacking my chocolate stash. _

_Yasai: *munches on chocolate* Chi doesn't function properly without chocolate… _

_*shy grin* Do you think we can reach 120 this time? I would sooo love that… but next update is Monday or Tuesday next week, so don't worry about going so long without an update again! _

_Yasai: Hmm… a mixture of pleading and promises… **really** creative, Chi! _

_Aw, leave me alone, muse… so Cya then, my dear readers! _

_Yasai: Bye… and feed me! _

_*mutters under her breath* She just **had** to add that… hmph. *cheery* Cya!!! _

_Chibi-chan and Yasai _


	20. Chapter 19 Praeludium

_Ciao!!! _

_Christmas is over and done with! I love the holidays, Christmas trees and the music, but I hate that it always ends in a horribly stressful attempt at cleaning the whole house from top to bottom and putting together the largest Christmas dinner imaginable- rather takes the fun out of the whole thing if you're running around in circles trying to get everything ready. Anyways, that's over, and I have finally managed to get this one done- so enjoy!!! _

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_ "…." Denotes talking _

_….. denotes thinking _

_*~* means a change of scenery (either temporal or local, I think which one of those will be clear) has taken place_

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Disclaimer: I do in no way own any rights, moral or others, to Rurouni Kenshin, its characters or plot. Characters other than the characters from Rurouni Kenshin bearing any resemblance to persons living or dead are purely coincidental. I do not intend to make any profits out of this story, it's written for entertainment purposes only and any attempt by persons natural or legal to make money from it in any way is not in accordance with this author's express wishes. 

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**Chapter 19**

**Praeludium**

It rather felt like the most famous line out of Dante's _Inferno_. Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here- capitalized. Katsura had never in his life seen a place as dispirited as the strange, circular cellar running underneath and beyond Shishio's mansion. He had agreed to splitting up with Hiko, as their continued failure to find their missing agents put a strain on both of them, and he had wanted to prevent harsh words and rather embarrassing scenes. Hiko had stayed on the top floor with a third of the Agency forces while Katsura had agreed to search from the lowest floor up. Being confined within these circular walls would make even the most sane of men insane within the space of a few months- there was no clean angle to catch the eye, no clear and defined beginning and ending. The human mind, with its desire for clarity and solutions, could not exist within such a space without making adaptations- adaptations that proved disastrous both for the mind itself and the body it inhabited.

"How many of these cells shall we look at, Katsura, Sir?" One of his group of agents asked the leader. Katsura tore his gaze from the white walls and the musings on the inside of his brain and refocused them on the young man in front of him.

"Just check those which are locked," he ordered, seeing no use in keeping his men longer than absolutely necessary in this mind-boggling environment.

"Those locked, order confirmed, Sir," the agent saluted and went to relay Katsura's orders. The Agency leader sighed and allowed his shoulders to slump. He didn't think he would find his missing agents in here, there was simply no clue, and Himura was an expert at breaking from confined spaces, having learned from Katsura himself. Hiko was hopeless when it came to opening things which would rather stay locked, another proof that their partnership benefited them both. Katsura remembered the good times of working together with the abrasive genius rather than the bad- they had all been before young Himura had stumbled into their lives, so long ago now, but they had been there. At one time in their lives, the two men had shared almost every thought- or at least Katsura had done so, you could never be quite sure with Hiko.

"All done, Sir, and nothing found except for a pair of unopened manacles." Katsura grimaced. So Himura had had to resort to that particular way of breaking his bonds… most unpleasant, but rather surprising for those who thought their prisoners were securely chained.

"Let's get to the next level, then," he said, sounding hopefully not as empty and worn as he felt. The questioning look of the agent who had talked to him made him doubt that, but he squared his shoulders nonetheless for appearance's sake.

Accompanied by his forces, Katsura went up, musing about the times that had been and the times that were to come- he particularly dreaded the confrontation with Hiko about sending his little protégé into danger that would unvaryingly come up. The young agent was his weapon, his most prized asset, and not only his, but the entire Agency's. Without Himura, they wouldn't be in the position to finally end the Regime's reign of terror once and for all. But to Hiko, the slight, on first sight rather unimpressive young man was like a son, and Katsura really hated the berating his ex-partner gave him every time the young agent came back from a mission half-alive and half-broken- which had been the case after every single mission so far. He, Katsura, on the other hand, never met any excitement anymore when he went out into the field. Somehow, he had the distinct feeling that there would be no adventures for him in this mission as well, and with a wry half-smile on his lips he continued.

*~*

"Ah, there you are, finally!" Whatever they had expected to meet behind that door, it certainly was not an exuberant young woman, holding a giant, scythe-like weapon in one hand and the door's handle in the other. She smiled brightly at them, her ruby-red lips given competition only by her alert and happy black-brown eyes. The bewildered little ragtag group of fighters stared at her in what could only be described as absolute disbelief.

"My name is Kamatari, Honjo Kamatari! Master Shishio said I should greet you and lead you into his sanctuary after…" she looked pensive for a second before snapping her fingers as another brilliant smile lit up her heart-shaped face, "ah, after I 'put you to the test however I liked'! Now, what I really would like would be to see which of you can make the best mocha latte, but since we don't have the time or the means to do so I guess my trusted _naginata_ will have to suffice…"

With the exception of Saito and Aoshi everybody had their jaws hanging to the floor. Megumi, slightly greenish with what the others thought could only be jealousy, studied the slender form in front of her before giving an indignant cry. "But you're a _man_!"

The nine fighters and one child couldn't help but turn their heads from Kamatari, to Megumi, and back to the _really_ effeminate man. "Uh… Foxy, are you sure? 'Cause she sure looks hot, you know," Sano finally voiced the suspicion that everybody harbored in secret- that Megumi only wanted to take out the competition for the title 'Most Beautiful Woman In The Battle'.

"Just _look_ at him," Megumi hissed, finally catching on to the implied meaning in the other's stares, "he _is_ a man!"

"Congratulations, Agent Takani, you're the first to catch on so quickly," the young man-woman said with a miffed expression, " it has to be that you have studied humans so intently while becoming a doctor- I am a man." He bowed gracefully with a flourish.

"No way!" Misao cried, "you walk more like a woman than I do!" Kamatari's bright smile returned.

"Really? I had to practice soooo hard! Thank you for the compliment, young ninja of the Oniwabanshu- shall I teach you?"

"No, you should not! We're here to _fight_!" Yahiko's voice conveyed something akin to hatred for the unmanly man and his antics.

"Oh, yes… I still would prefer that mocha latte contest, you know, I hate getting my clothes dirty, and the way you all look like they will even if you don't touch me because you will spray soot and dirt and blood everywhere- can I fight one of the cleanest first, please?"

Now Kaoru had had enough. She might be a tomboy, she might be dirty, sweaty, covered in soot and sometimes even wounded, but she would not let herself be insulted any more by a female-wannabe. "Listen, you… Kamatari, or what you're called, I'll fight you. And I'll be sure to rip up your designer fighting suit!"

"Oh, you noticed? I made this myself- clothes from the stores are so _uniform_!" Uniformity certainly was not something he could be accused of- his tight-fitting shirt and wide, kilt-like skirt-trousers were dyed in all the colors of the rainbow, from dark violet at the top to a whitish yellow around the man's slim middle to dark violet at the bottom of the trouser-skirt again.

Smiling, he readied himself, easing into an aggressive stance- the _naginata_ was hard to wield if the opponent came too close, and Kamatari, as a master of his chosen weapon, would not allow Kaoru to come close without any obstacles in her way.

"Why don't we just shoot the queer?" Saito asked impassively, taking in the steaming Kaoru and her happy-go-lucky opponent.

"That would not be fair, Saito," Kamatari scowled, hating being called a 'queer', "besides, Shishio would activate his automated defenses then, and I think you've already encountered them. The ones in this room are even better. He said, and I quote: No guns!" His grip around the weapon's handle grew stronger. He _really_ hated being called a queer.

"Tanuki, take him out," Saito ordered, not missing a beat.

"Well, if you could finally stop talking then we could get this over with and I can return to serve my master Shishio," Kamatari, looking like a disgruntled cat, bit. Kaoru shot him a hateful look and stepped forward.

"I am ready." The men of the group simply shook their heads. They did not doubt Kaoru's abilities, but it could be that she let her anger cloud her rationality… and she did.

Shaking his flame-haired head, Kenshin watched as the young girl rushed headlong into the range of the giant scythe, ducking underneath the heavy weapon. It took all his restraint not to shout at Kaoru, she had to fight her own fights, and since she had been fastest to step forward, this was her fight. He could not do anything without endangering the whole group, since Shishio would undoubtedly let his automated guns, flamethrowers and whatever else he had hidden in the walls spout at them if he tried to interfere.

She had forgotten about the weighted chain on the other end of Kamatari's _naginata_. It caught her full-force into the chest and knocked her backwards, her beautiful face scrunched up in pain as she hit the floor and skidded along on it until she came to rest at the feet of the group who was watching her concernedly.

"Ungh," she made as she climbed to her feet again, right hand clutching her wooden weapon protectively. At least she hadn't let go of her _bokken_. Kaoru wiped at her sweaty brow with her free left arm, blinking a few times to get the last of the black spots covering her vision to leave, then she took up another of the stances of her family's fighting style. This one was for rather long-ranged attacks, meant to be used for entering into an opponent's greater reach and retreat just as fast, like a cobra striking. She had had to use it a lot during her training since she had always been smaller than her male training partners, thus it was a specialty of hers. Kamatari was not bigger or taller than her, perhaps he even weighed a few pounds less, but he had a weapon that gave him a reach and circle of control that she could not match with her short wooden sword.

"Watch out, little girl!" the girly man cried, swinging his scythe in a cycling motion that accelerated quickly until the blade and chain formed a gyrating spiral of death around his body. It was impossible to break, and Kamatari could lash out at any moment and catch his opponent off guard with either the blade or the weighted end of his chain. Kaoru's eyes narrowed in concentration, willing the whirring weapon to slow down until she could see the parts of it, then she stepped inside the circle.

Ducking the suddenly multiplied blades and chains she jumped, rolled, crouched and stroke. The whirring and wind Kamatari had produced with his _naginata_ stopped. Kaoru sighed- and flew back once again, striking the wall with enough force to make some of the plaster fall down.

"I have got my feet, too," Kamatari sang, drawing figure eights into the air with his weapon as he advanced on Kaoru.

Kenshin's muscles tensed, he was ready to spring into action, trust the group to get itself to safety- however, he was not the first. "Kaoru!!!" Misao's voice shrilled, "Look _out_! Kaoru!!!"

Aoshi held the struggling girl around the middle to keep her from jumping into the fray. "Misao, you're not well enough yet to fight. Let Kaoru do this on her own! Misao!!!" he tried to reach her, but the young ninja's frantic brain only saw his vise-like grip on her and tried to break free.

"Misao!" She was like w writhing goldfish desperate to get back into the water, and his grip on her began to loosen enough for her to get one of her hands free and reach for a _kunai_ on her belt. "Kaoru!!!"

Aoshi did the only thing he could think of to hold her back. Catching her head with a hand he took away from her middle he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. Misao's eyes clouded over in shock, but she returned his kiss vigorously- not before she released her _kunai_ from her fingers, though.

Kaoru saw the silver glint fly towards Kamatari and his _naginata_, and even though her body screamed in protest she flung herself forward, nimbly evading the rotating chain before she and the silver glint struck.

A cracking sound, the clanging of the out-of-control chain against the wall, and, ultimately, silence broken only by harsh breathing. Kamatari lay on the ground, his weapon's parts around him, as broken as his spirit.

"How? You're just a little girl… how did you win?" he whispered, turning his face to the floor in shame. His right arm was bent at an odd angle, the force of his weapon shattering having broken something inside. His back hurt where he had struck the floor, and he could not feel his left foot at all. His huge, black eyes were filled with tears as he confessed his failure to himself. "I am nothing. Shishio-sama, I failed you. Kamatari will choose another way now."

The ten fighters silently watched the sobbing figure on the floor, solemnly paying their respect to the downed fighter before taking Kaoru into their middle, Megumi beginning to fuss over her. She had nothing worse than a few bruises, though, and so found herself in a crushing embrace from all of her friends soon. Kenshin in particular held her like he would never let her go, and she realized how hard she had been on him by volunteering for this fight. Perhaps he would finally see now what it did to her to see him go off on his own.

"I won," she smiled, catching deep, amber gold in her azure depths.

"You won, that you did," he whispered, still looking at her in disbelief. For a moment the fight had looked lost- until Misao had thrown her little _kunai_ that had acted as a wedge and a lever for Kaoru's strike. He threw her a thankful look, but the little ninja girl didn't see anything at all at the moment, contently looking at Aoshi and stroking her bottom lip with her left thumb as though what had just happened was but a dream. The proof that it wasn't however, was in the solid circle that Aoshi's arms formed around her middle and the closeness of his body to hers. Kenshin smiled softly and returned his gaze to rest upon the beautiful little fighter who had just won them their first victory over Shishio's minions. Now if only everything would go as fast as this!

"We should move on, that we should," he said, voice harsh and raw with emotion. His face hardened once more into that of a battle-ready warrior, but with the softness of his core underneath it. Kaoru smiled at him and slipped from his grasp.

"Let's go on," she chimed as well, elation over her victory singing in her veins.

"You would like to go on, would you not?" Cold and grating as glacial ice this voice left no doubt as to whom it belonged to, "this room, however, has another guardian, Battousai, and I suggest that you should not fight him- you will need your energy later on. Soujirou has told me a lot about your abilities, but I can see you are weakened- oh, don't look so shocked that the boy actually returned to me to give his report, you didn't honestly believe your words would be able to sway him? Oh no, he is recovering, but before the end he will join in the battle once more. Ah, and those bumbling Agency fools you brought in as a reinforcement- I have sent my army to take care of them."

Kenshin clenched his fists as dark fire rose from the depths of his soul to meet his eyes. "Shishio," he hissed venomously, trying to hide his confusion. What reinforcements? He had not asked for help! 

"You know my name? And here I was looking forward to introducing myself. You know, that whole 'Pharaoh' thing gets old after a while- it might be good for instilling fear in my subjects, but my enemies tend to see it as a simple ruse to hold greater power, and deduct from it that I possess a rather childish mind. Just call me Shishio, Battousai…"

"I already have."

"Oh, I seem to have overlooked that. Anyways, I hope to see more entertainment now- I have installed some of my newest toys in here- this is my antechamber, by the way, just in case you were wondering. I am right behind that little row of pillars and that curtain- Yumi loves curtains. When I rule the world, everybody will have to have at least one curtain parting a room in their house. Preferably the kind that's made of strings of beads or pearls or whatever you want to call it.

"Anyways, I'm not here to discuss interior design and decorating… I wanted to introduce my next fighter… you can come forward now, Usui."

A snake-like hissing came from a shadowed corner of the room. Tall and menacing, wearing a black bandanna and eerie black contact lenses that covered the whole of his eyes Shishio's next obstacle for the ten was a much more impressive figure than that of Kamatari (even though the cross-dresser had been much more dreadful to look at in a way).

"Hello Saito, Aoshi," the man gave a curt nod at each of the two recoiling men, "a pleasure to meet you again."

"Usui," Aoshi said, a strong dislike audible in his usually passive voice. He had never pretended to like his fellow follower of the Pharaoh, and now that he had switched sides he saw no more use in trying to hide the hatred on his face.

"Ah, Aoshi, as pleasantly polite as always." Saito didn't even acknowledge the other man's presence. His sadistic nature and disturbing ability to read his unfortunate victims had unsettled even the wolfish spy, and his attire, which left much to be desired, did nothing to appease the burning anger that swamped Saito's mind and heart whenever he laid eyes onto the vampiric man.

His long, black hair that was gathered in a medium-length ponytail high on the back of his head swished dramatically behind him as Usui took a rather relaxed stance in front of the group the majority of which was still trying to get a picture of him. Kenshin's eyes were burning with anger, but he kept himself well in check.

"Hmmm, three pretty little playthings…I just have to dispose of the rest of you, especially the brat. Now what is the best way to do that… perhaps- this!" He pulled the long, menacing-looking barrel of a large-caliber gun from behind his green-and-black coat.

"You wouldn't dare," Megumi hissed, "Shishio has explicitly ordered that no guns are to be used."

"A pity that Kamatari has already told you that. He talks too much."

"Get out of here, Usui. You know what I think of you and your habits. If you don't want to answer to me, run." Saito had stepped forward, cold fury on his narrow face, his eyes shining with an unholy light as disgust etched deep lines around the corners of his eyes and mouth.

"Oh, Saito, quit trying to think that you're better than me. You know as well as I do that you secretly enjoy hearing them scream…" Usui said, a false smile playing the shadowed angles of his face, making him look like some wretched creature out of a nightmare, a demon like those that adored his robes and coat in poisoned green.

"I have never nor will I ever find any enjoyment in what you do, Usui. Your chance has passed, face me." Saito drew his longer-than-average _katana_ from his belt, the rasped singing of metal on wood an unmistakable sign- Saito was renowned for never putting his sword back into its sheath without it having tasted the heat of a battle beforehand.

Usui grinned, cocking his gun. The grin, however, was wiped from his face as a heavy object descended on his wrist, breaking his grip and making the weapon fall to the floor. Saito calmly dropped the belt of his uniform. "Now the chances are even- I know you have your own _katana_ hidden somewhere underneath all that fabric. I give you the chance to draw, now. If you don't I'll kill you."

"You kill me? You're the one that will die!" Without warning, Usui flexed his wrists, shooting twin projectiles from them that hit Saito's legs with a dull thudding sound. "I have crippled you."

Saito hadn't flinched. Detachedly, he regarded the blood flowing from the small puncture wounds, looking at the darts that were imbedded into each of his upper legs. "You've had your chance, Usui."

His sword struck so fast that nobody was able to follow its path with the eyes- except for Aoshi and Kenshin, maybe. But even they would have had a hard time defending against the triple strike Saito administered as he used his trademark attack. Usui, basking in his small success, had no chance.

"That was the second one," Saito remarked scathingly cold as he flocked the blood from his blade, sparing his fallen opponent no third glance. He took out a soft, white handkerchief and began cleaning his weapon. "Go ahead, Battousai. I'll keep that doctor of yours around for my legs and follow you then."

Megumi huffed. "You're going to stay here, with these wounds… I won't let you run to your own premature demise."

"You don't have the power to hold me back, woman. I'm no idiot like that one," he jerked his head to indicate the rather bored, spiky-haired fighter who didn't even notice him because he was staring at the way Megumi was looking at Saito in anger. "An I'm not whipped like that one," this time, the target of his jerking chin was Kenshin, who was simply standing there staring holes into the air.

Megumi chose not to rise to his taunts, working in silent efficiency instead. She had no desire to wake the ire of the cynical spy, and she didn't care enough to hold him back by force. She could not forget that he had been the one to attack Kenshin when they were fleeing from Camp Freedom, the one responsible for the red-headed agent's condition when they arrived at Okina's farm.

"Cat got your tongue, woman?" Saito asked, grimacing as she pulled the bandages around his left leg tighter than necessary.

"Leave her alone," Sano finally spat, disgust evident in his glacial voice.

"Idiot, keep your blabber to yourself." Saito didn't feel well enough to put up with the raging hormones of a young man.

"Just let him be, Sano," Megumi interfered before a huffing Sano could think of a good reply, "he doesn't know better- he probably never had any woman look at him twice."

As much as he hated to admit it, that remark had really gotten to him. "I'm married," Saito barked, trying to ignore the burning pain in his legs.

Nobody believed him, just like always. Was he _really_ such a horrible person? Saito shrugged, deciding to let these young fools play their own games. Tokio and he were happy, and that was all that counted. Fleetingly, he wondered whether he would be able to see more of his children once all of this was over, but he didn't even have time enough to remember their names and ages before Shishio interrupted them again.

"Well, less entertaining than I thought, but once you've got that traitorous fool patched up I suggest you come to see me- I've been awaiting you, Battousai."

Kenshin snapped out of his reverie. He had spent the last few minutes in the calming limbo of his center, finding and pulling on the source of his strength. He knew he wouldn't have the time to bring it forth once he stood face to face with the infamous Pharaoh, so he drew from the well of light and power within himself now. His power flared willingly, the sharpness of his senses and limberness of his body enough of a reward for the tediousness of calling it forward. He had turned back into the man he had been- almost, but not quite. There was a feeling to him that had not been there before, a calmness and simplicity of actions he had not possessed as an angry teenager. Battousai the assassin was much more horrifying as a grown man- his eyes more focused, his mind clearer, his objective more defined.

Kaoru was just staring at the spot where not a moment before there had been a grim-faced, exhausted young agent, doing her very best imitation of a goldfish. He had vanished. Simply vanished, and had taken with him any trace of gentleness and compassion. In his place stood an avenging angel with a horrifyingly sinister face who was radiating power and authority.

"Don't worry, _Pharaoh_, we're on our way." If she had been in Shishio's place she would have run and hidden underneath the nearest stone- or perhaps hoped to turn into an ant and escape unnoticed from the wrath of the young agent that stood right in front of her, hand grasping the hilt of his weapon, eyes facing his destiny. Shishio didn't seem to possess this kind of self-preservationist urges, though. He laughed.

"Quit stalling, Battousai. Take your friends- I promise I won't hurt them," Kaoru could have sworn there was a muttered 'much' after that, "and you will get what you always wanted- a fair fight." He laughed again, reinforcing the picture of him as a monster in the young woman's mind. Kenshin stepped forward, and they continued to walk towards the beaded curtain that separated them from Shishio.

*~*

"Baka deshi, what have you done now?" Hiko muttered, leading his part of the group up the final flight of stairs. He hated elevators with a passion, the thought of being caught inside of them and not having any means of defending himself leading to his decision to take the stairs, as risky as that might be. Until now, the only obstacle they had encountered was an empty can of soup, however, on which one of his men had slipped. The flare of Kenshin's _ki_ had hit him like a freight train. The boy had only ever called upon his reserves if he was in serious trouble or if he was caught in a sparring match with his master, and that he did so now alerted Hiko to the fact that he was most likely in grave danger.

"Hurry up," he called, not bothering to wait for the rest of his forces as he barreled ahead, through the doors to the uppermost floor, throwing himself to the ground as he was greeted by a hailstorm of bullets. Grumbling, he retreated into the stairwell, ignoring the screaming of a few ricocheting bullets that had come quite close to nicking his ears.

"So this is where they all are," one of the agents who had finally caught up to him, shouted. Hiko shrugged. Only a few more stupid people trying to hold him back… he only had to find a hole in their fire and they would all be dead within the space of a few minutes- his ancient fighting art would see to that. He only had to wait… wait while Kenshin's _ki_ was screaming at him from tantalizingly close.

"Do you reckon that agents Himura and Takani are here somewhere?" Another agent asked him. Hiko's face, drawn in concentration, scrunched up in annoyance.

"I _know_ they are here," he stated superiorly. The agents shared exasperated looks, not being used to putting up with Hiko's flaring temper and scathing tongue like Katsura was. They didn't like the fact that he saw them as a burden rather than as helpers. They didn't like being ridiculed all the time. And they didn't like that this big lug of a man was _always_ right. Every time he berated them, or said something, or did something he was right.

"How will we get past them?" The same agent who had reached him first asked, wanting to know what plan Katsura's partner had.

"They stop firing and we get past them," Hiko said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." Apparently, nobody had ever thought of that, or perhaps they just acted that stupid, whatever it was, Hiko didn't care. He had to get to Kenshin, the boy was in trouble, and the trouble was not abating as he was still lighting a nice torch with his _ki_ for all to see. At least for all of those to see who could see. Which were not nearly enough people. But he, Hiko Seijurou, was not going to be the one to change that. He had enough to do with rescuing his baka deshi and maintaining his pottery shop.

Shishio's army was well trained- they fired in sequence. Until they made a mistake, Hiko's way was blocked.

*~*

Shishio decided that now was the time to put out his pipe. Until Battousai had reached the curtain, he had kept smoking, but now he felt something akin to an obligation to be ready to fight his most obstinate opponent yet. He had to admit to it, albeit grudgingly- the man was rather strong and resourceful.

"Yumi, my dear, can you go to the monitoring room? I want to know what the rest of these fools are up to once I have dealt with those bumbling idiots here." He sent his beloved and engineer to safety, knowing that a fight against the Agency's best could get ugly and not wanting her to get hurt. He just hoped that it wouldn't be too long until he could go to her- he was rather addicted to her and her skimpy Egyptian-style tunic.

"Hello, Battousai," he greeted a moment after, regretfully having to turn his gaze from the beautiful form of Yumi to the more… disheveled one of his red-haired enemy.

Battousai ad his followers glared at him with undisguised hatred. They just didn't understand… Shishio sighed. Mister Darwin would have to work his magic again. He had no doubt it would be in his favor, but he still considered that little man a nuisance. Time to get rid of him.

"I have come, Shishio," Battousai drawled, a flare in his _ki_ announcing that he was less than pleased. As if I could not have guessed that from the sour look on his face, Shishio thought.

"Welcome to the Atrium, Battousai," he gestured around the wide, glass-covered room invitingly. He was rather proud of that part of his home, even though most people didn't really like it, saying it was 'stuffed' and 'overdone'. The combination of old Egyptian relics and modern, glass-and-chrome architecture was a rather pleasing mix to the eyes of the Pharaoh, but an eyesore to many others.

"Quit with the games already, Shishio. We have a score to settle." No objections to that. He was rather delighted that Battousai got down to business that fast.

"I am at your service." Shishio stood, facing his opponent. Battousai's group retreated, leaving him to stand alone in the middle of the Atrium, free space around him and the sky, only separated from them by a glass roof in the shape of a pyramid, above him. What a picturesque opening to their epic fight! This day would be wonderful… He drew in the same instant as Battousai did. The time of finally deciding the fate of the Regime, and with it the world, was at hand.

… to be continued…

* * *

_I made it! Chapter 19 is complete! Not my best chapter, I'm afraid, but I made it through that stupid block of mine!!! No time for reviewer's corner today, sorry, have to go buy fireworks (our self-made ones won't be enough, New Year has to come with a bang!)! So I'll only say A VERY BIG thankyou to: _

**CurlsofSerenity**,** Queen of Shadows**, **Eeevee**, **Sword Master Jeff**, **lebleuphenix**, **ixchen**, **Ari and Kat**, **darkmoon0829**, **Natsuko**, **Bengali**, **Dove of Night** and **Crazy Chipmunk**. You are all soooo wonderful! I can't ever thank you enough!!!

_Cya!!!_

_Chi_


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